Lac-Megantic marks 10th anniversary of rail disaster that killed 47 people

A stream of flickering lights illuminated the darkness of Lac-Megantic, Que. in the early hours of Thursday morning as citizens marched to commemorate the 10-year anniversary of the rail disaster that killed 47 people and destroyed much of the downtown core.

A stream of flickering lights illuminated the darkness of Lac-Megantic, Que. in the early hours of Thursday morning as citizens marched to commemorate the 10-year anniversary of the rail disaster that killed 47 people and destroyed much of the downtown core.

A silent march began slightly before 1:14 a.m., marking the moment an unattended train carrying crude oil derailed and exploded in the heart of town on July 6, 2013.

People donned star-shaped LED lights in memory of the victims as the mayor led a march that departed from the church and made its way down the former main street that was flattened in the disaster, with a pause at a memorial build at the place where the train struck.

For Michelle Dube, who lost a niece in the tragedy, the memories from 10 years ago remain vivid.

"You don't forget something like that," she said. "It will take generations to forget."

Dube said her niece, Marie-France, "perished in the flames" along with her home and the boutique she'd owned on the town's main street, the buildings destroyed so completely that her remains were never found.

While that adds an extra layer of pain, Dube said nearly everyone in the 6,000-person town has a story of loss.