A train derailment that sparked a massive Christmas evacuation in Manitoba – Winnipeg [Video]

Cathie Bernd and her son Justin Markus are looking through old photos of a time they would never forget.

Bernd and her family were in the process of moving to the community of Oakville, Man., to begin a new chapter a week before Christmas in 1992.

“Come to Oakville, it’s pleasant there, it’s quiet, friendly, yes, yes. But it wasn’t quiet.”

A major incident was playing out nearby as they were pulling up to their new home.

“Within about 10 minutes we had a knock on our door. ‘Hello. Welcome to Oakville. Please leave.’ Like, what?” Cathie recalled.

An axle on a CN Rail locomotive failed on a bitterly cold Friday night on Dec. 18. It caused 29 cars to derail, a number of which were carrying hazardous material.

As the toll was being assessed, officials had concerns a chilling wind would blow toxic fumes from the leaking rail cars into Oakville. There …