Railway Head Blames Employee for Deadly Quebec Train Crash

Says worker failed to properly set the brakes

LAC-MEGANTIC, Quebec  — The head of a railway company whose train crashed into a Quebec town, killing at least 15 people, blamed the accident on an employee who he said had failed to properly set the brakes.

Edward Burkhardt, president and CEO of the railway's parent company, Rail World Inc., made his comments Wednesday during his first visit to the town where some 60 people remain missing following Saturday's fiery crash. He arrived with a police escort and was heckled by angry residents,

He said a train engineer has been suspended without pay.

"I think he did something wrong …We think he applied some hand brakes but the question is did he apply enough of them," Burkhardt explained. "He said he applied 11 hand brakes we think that's not true. Initially we believed him but now we don't."