Thursday, April 18, 1907

+ One of the most terrible disasters in the history of the Canadian Pacific Railway occurred at noon on Wednesday of last week 22 miles west of Chapleau, resulting in the loss of 15 lives and injuring more or less seriously about 30 others. The wrecked train was the westbound Imperial Limited, which had left Montreal at 9:40 a.m. Tuesday. It was composed of 11 coaches, five of which were colonist cars, carrying immigrants who had arrived from England a few hours previously. The train was running at a little over 20 miles an hour and was rounding a curve when beneath the baggage car a rail broke. The car left the rails and was torn away from the engine and mail car, plunging down an embankment into a small, ice-covered lake. It was followed by two immigrant cars, which were crashed into by a firstclass coach at the bottom of the embankment. The immigrant cars were crowded with people who were cooking dinner. The cars caught fire from coal-fired ranges provided in the colonial coaches, live embers igniting the woodwork. The fire spread rapidly, making rescue difficult. Despite the rescuers' efforts, nine adults and six children were roasted to death. The injured were taken to Fort William on Thursday but only two are believed to be in any danger.