Lac-Mégantic

Victims of the 2013 rail disaster in Lac-Mégantic, Quebec have reached a major financial settlement with the railway involved. A U.S. lawyer who worked on the wrongful-death lawsuits says $200 million dollars will be distributed in settlement funds to families of those who died as well as other parties involved in the legal battle. Peter Flowers told The Canadian Press he expects the money to start flowing this summer, although the compensation package must still be approved by courts on both sides of the border. Keach said he's received commitments of about $200 million but hopes it will grow to $500 million. Several of the largest corporations with potential legal liability have not yet agreed to participate, he said. Three other companies — World Fuel Services, Canadian Pacific Railway and Irving Oil — have yet to contribute. "We will turn over every stone on earth before we give up on them and intend on pursuing them in Illinois and any other state to ensure they're brought to justice and held responsible for this disaster," Flowers said. The derailment in the town of 6,000 on July 6, 2013, set off several massive blasts, wiped out part of the downtown core and killed 47 people.