Heritage Mississauga Plaque Marks Train Derailment Site

On Saturday, November 10, 1979, at 11:53 p.m., a Toronto-bound Canadian Pacific Railway train carrying a load of dangerous chemicals derailed at this site. An unlubricated bearing caused a tanker car to lose its wheels and leave the tracks. Twenty-three cars followed the tanker and some burst into flames. As chemicals spilled on the tracks, flammable liquids and vapors ignited. One of the tank cars exploded. The resulting fire rose 1,500 m into the night sky and was seen 100 km away. While several chemical cars derailed, it was a ruptured chlorine tank that caused the greatest concern. It was feared that the explosion of a nearby propane tank would create a massive chlorine cloud.

Fire, police and emergency services were quickly dispatched to deal with the situation. A command team of municipal, regional and provincial representatives assembled to make decisions. Police evacuated 218,384 residents and most of Mississauga became a ghost town. At the time this was the largest peacetime evacuation in the history of North America. Firefighters allowed the fire to burn off the gases and on Tuesday residents began returning to their homes. By Friday evening, the chlorine tank had been patched and the city reopened.

The co-operation of numerous agencies, volunteers and residents prevented a catastrophe and put Mississsauga on the map. The "Miracle of Mississauga" also led to legislative changes regarding the safe transportation of dangerous goods and provided an example for the development of emergency planning by communities around the world.

On November 8, a plaque erected by Heritage Mississauga was unveiled at the site commemorating the Mississauga Train Derailment. Alexander von Gernet, Heritage Mississauga’s president, introduced three speakers who recounted their memories of the derailment. Mayor Hazel McCallion had been Mississauga’s mayor for less than a year when the derailment happened. Margaret Marland, now M.P.P. for Mississauga South, had manned the switchboard, and Gordon Bentley was fire chief at the time. Former Police Chief Douglas Burrows was unable to attend the ceremony*. Current Fire Chief Cyril Hare, several firefighters, Angus McDonald, Commissioner of Transportation and Works, several city staff and approximately 50 people attended the unveiling. A reception was held afterwards in the Parks Mississauga building where guests were able to record their memories of the event and view exhibits. A special thank you is extended to Danny Bacon, Supervisor, Northwest District, and Parks Mississauga staff for their assistance in installing the plaque and opening their facilities.

Due to ground work on the site of plaque a rededication ceremony took place in 2002.