William Donald Blain, M.S.M. (Posthumous), Burlington, Ont.
Kevin Richard Lihou, M.S.M. (Posthumous), Newmarket, Ont.
Meritorious Service Medal (civil division)
On April 23, 1999, in Thamesville, Ontario, a train derailment claimed the lives of locomotive engineers Don Blain and Kevin Lihou, shortly after they managed to warn an oncoming train to stop. Although both trains were supposed to be travelling on parallel tracks, a crossover switch left in the wrong position set them on a collision course. In the few seconds they had to respond, engineers Blain and Lihou shut down the engine, activated the emergency brakes and radioed a frantic warning to the oncoming train. Thanks to their professionalism and quick action, the other train managed to stop, saving the lives of hundreds of passengers. Messrs. Blain and Lihou’s locomotive veered off the tracks and rammed into stationary freight cars, killing them both.