A CN freight train derailment near Plaster Rock in January 2014 was caused by an undetected defect in a wheel causing it to break according to the Transportation Safety Board.
The train, travelling from Toronto to Moncton, was carrying crude oil and other dangerous goods when the locomotive and 19 cars went off the tracks.
About 230,000 litres of crude oil spilled from the tank cars and caught fire.
TSB Senior Regional Investigator Don Ross says their focus was on the wheel.
“It was determined that the train was operating in accordance with company guidelines and regulatory requirements. Train operation was not a contributing factor in the accident,” Ross says.
Roughly 150 residents in the Plaster Rock area were forced to evacuate but no one was hurt.
Transport Canada has introduced regulations for more robust standards for tank cars.
