Mississauga Miracle: 40 years later

On November 10, 1979, a 106-car freight train carrying chemicals and explosives derailed near the intersection of Mavis Road and Dundas Street in Mississauga. In response to the disaster, first responders went to work coordinating the largest evacuation in North American history at that time; 250,000 people, including the complete closure of three hospitals. In the end, there was not a single loss of life and no serious injuries were reported; the “Miracle of Mississauga.” ‎
To commemorate this event and the incredible efforts of our city, THP is pleased to tell this story 40 years later. Better Together, then and now. ✊
#MississaugaMiracle #BetterTogetherTHP ‎

[@elizabethsamson5591]

I am british and was working as a Nanny at the time in Mississauga. We were evacuated and spent 3 days downtown at my bosses mothere's apartment. it is one of my life long memories, and one that i tell to my relatives in the UK.

[@blondie839]

Lived one minute away. Our house shook on its foundations. The windows cracked. The heat was unreal. My dad thought a plane had crashed into the Dow Chemical plant. We were the very first evacuated and the absolute last to come home a week later. My dad had us packed up in the car before the police came to the door. I will never forget the look on my father's face as he climb down off the roof and said get in the car now. We are leaving. He gave us enough time to grab a pillow, the dog, and a change of clothes. And had us evacuated before the police came to tell us to leave. Such an amazing thing that none of us died. And I don't think any of us realized how close we came to dying until much later