On 10 November 1979, a 106-car freight train derailed on the CP rail line while carrying explosive and poisonous chemicals just north of the intersection of Mavis Road and Dundas Street. One of the tank cars carrying propane exploded, and since other tank cars were carrying chlorine, the decision was made to evacuate nearby residents. With the possibility of a deadly cloud of chlorine gas spreading through Mississauga, 218,000 people were evacuated. Residents were allowed to return home once the site was deemed safe. At the time, it was the largest peacetime evacuation in North American history. Due to the speed and efficiency with which it was conducted, many cities later studied and modelled their own emergency plans after Mississauga's. For many years afterwards, the name "Mississauga" was, for Canadians, associated with a major rail disaster.
on 10 november 1979 a 106-car freight train derailed on the cp rail line while carrying explosive and poisonous chemicals just north of the intersection of mavis road and dundas street one of the tank cars carrying propane exploded and since other tank cars were carrying chlorine the decision was made to evacuate nearby residents with the possibility of a deadly cloud of chlorine gas spreading through mississauga 218000 people were evacuated residents were allowed to return home once the site was deemed safe at the time it was the largest peacetime evacuation in north american history due to the speed and efficiency with which it was conducted many cities later studied and modelled their own emergency plans after mississauga's for many years afterwards the name "mississauga" was for canadians associated with a major rail disaster