This week’s submission continues our look at the “Mississauga Miracle” – the 1979 train derailment and evacuation.
Read Part 1 here!

In the midst of the burning wreckage was a leaking chlorine car. This, coupled with the magnitude of the accident and changing wind patterns, resulted in a series of expanding evacuations, which by Sunday evening had encompassed much of the City of Mississauga. The emergency response saw an evacuation of more than 226,000 residents.

The first policeman on the scene, having seen the initial explosion, arrived at 11:58 pm, while firefighters arrived by 12:04 am. Emergency personnel initiated the Peel Regional Police Disaster Plan, which coordinated the immediate emergency response. Once the Peel Regional Police had established a Command Post, the Emergency Operations Control Group, dubbed the “Think Tank”, began to evaluate the situation and direct mitigation procedures.

As the threat of the fires was quelled and the chlorine car eventually sealed, the evacuation orders were gradually lifted, and residents were allowed to return to their homes in stages beginning on Tuesday, November 13th. The final evacuation order was not lifted until Friday, November 16th, six days after the initial derailment.

The derailment tested our young City and our citizens as they had never been tested before. It forced our citizens to flee. This first major emergency faced by the young City tested its mettle, its leadership, its emergency services, its organization, and its citizens – all of which passed the test with flying colours. Referred to as the “Mississauga Miracle” ,there was no loss of life, and no permanent scarring on the land, the people, or the collective psyche.

2019 marks the 40th anniversary of the “Mississauga Miracle”. There are a number of ways to connect with the story of the derailment, including visiting exhibits at The Anchorage (Bradley Museum, 1620 Orr Road) and The Grange (Heritage Mississauga, 1921 Dundas Street West). You can also view the 1 hour documentary on YouTube commemorating a city’s memories on the 40th Anniversary: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-tLCu1oUvws

A special reception will take place at The Grange (1921 Dundas Street West) from 2-4 pm on Sunday, November 10, 2019.