Parents concerned about large propane tanks near school
Parents of children at a Saint-Laurent school are worried about Two large propane tanks that are stored beside nearby railway tracks.
The parents say they recently found out Canadian National Railway has been storing the tanks about 100 meters behind Alex Manoogian School.
Svetlana Zanazarian in one concerned family member. Her granddaughter goes to a summer day care at the school.
When asked what she thinks the dangers are, she said she doesn't know, but is concerned about children playing near the tanks.
"I don't understand why there – why behind the school? Even the other side [of the tracks], even the people living in the big building. I'm sure the kids are playing too there," Zanazarian said.
Tanks comply with federal rules
Sébastien Stasse, the director of the school, said the tanks have been there for two years, and the school updated its evacuation plan after the tanks were installed.
He also said parents haven't asked any questions about the tanks until recently.
In his discussion with CN, the company assured him the tanks comply with federal regulations. The gas is used to heat part of the tracks to keep them from freezing, Stasse said.
Dangerous accidents with propane gas are rare in Canada. Statistics Canada stopped tracking propane-related incidents in 2002, but they comprised a small fraction of all accidents involving dangerous goods, about one to three per cent.
The last major propane explosion was in Toronto in 2008, when one person died at a Sunrise Propane facility.
