Provincial authorities have confirmed a second fatality on Sunday following an incident where three individuals were struck by a REM train on Montreal’s South Shore during the early hours of Saturday. Longueuil police responded to a call around 3:10 a.m. on Saturday when public transit services were not operational, reporting that three young men had been hit near Du Quartier station. The Sûreté du Québec (SQ) announced the death of a 19-year-old at the scene on Saturday, and later revealed to CBC that a 22-year-old, who had been receiving treatment for life-threatening injuries, passed away in the hospital on Sunday. The third individual, also 19 years old, is now out of danger.
According to the REM communications department speaking to Radio-Canada, the incident occurred due to an unauthorized entry onto the tracks. Following the emergency response on Saturday morning, service between Brossard and Panama stations in both directions was temporarily suspended, with a shuttle service being implemented. By 3 p.m., the new REM operator, Pulsar, confirmed that service had resumed on the line.
“A group of pedestrians attempted to cross Highway 10 and the REM tracks to reach the other side. Despite the presence of an oncoming train, they continued to walk,” stated SQ spokesperson Sgt. Ève Brochu-Joubert in an interview with CBC. Although the REM does not transport passengers during nighttime hours, trains operate on the tracks for testing and technical purposes.
SQ investigators were present at the location on Saturday to examine the circumstances surrounding the tragic incident.