18 February 2010

Final Minot Derailment Lawsuit Settled

Areal photo of Minot derailment.

Minot North Dakota USA - The final known lawsuit stemming from the Canadian Pacific Railway derailment and chemical spill in Minot eight years ago has been settled.
 
Details of the settlement between the railroad and the Gerald Aftem family were not disclosed. The settlement headed off a trial in Minneapolis that was to have begun Wednesday.
 
The 18 Jan 2002, derailment on the west edge of Minot sent a cloud of toxic anhydrous ammonia farm fertilizer over the city. One man died trying to escape the fumes and hundreds sought treatment for eye and lung problems.
 
Along with the hundreds of plaintiffs who have settled individual lawsuits with the railroad, a $7 million class-action lawsuit was settled in 2007.
 
Court officials in Minneapolis say about 5,000 people have received settlements from Canadian Pacific.