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Lac-Megantic lawsuit names more defendants

July 18, 2013, Lac-Megantic, Que. – A motion to file a class-action lawsuit over the deadly train derailment in Lac-Megantic, Que., has been amended to include more defendants, including the New Brunswick refinery where the oil aboard the locomotive was destined to go.

A team of lawyers leading the lawsuit say in a news release the motion has been changed to include Irving Oil, which runs the refinery in Saint John, N.B., World Fuel Services and its subsidiary, Dakota Plains Holdings.

The train was carrying crude oil sold by Dakota Plains Holdings at the time of the July 6 derailment.

The lawyers allege that the newly named defendants failed to ensure the highly flammable contents in the tankers were properly contained and safely transported.

None of the allegations has been tested in court.

The team of lawyers say the motion was amended to indicate that the liability for the accident is allegedly spread across a broad network of corporations.

Irving Oil could not immediately be reached for comment.

The motion filed Monday in Quebec Superior Court in Sherbrooke also names the Montreal, Maine & Atlantic Railway, company chairman Edward Burkhardt, president Robert Grindrod and train operator Tom Harding.