Accident at Lac-Bouchette

On July 17, 1993 a minibus carrying an elderly congregation of parishioners from the towns of Verchères, Quebec and Contrecoeur, Quebec, all from the same church, were returning home on highway 155 after a pilgrimage to the Roman Catholic shrine, le Ermitage Saint-Antoine, in the village of Lac-Bouchette.[1] Also returning home that day on the same highway in the opposite direction were a family of forestry workers from Lac-Bouchette travelling in a van that was towing a trailer full of tanks of diesel fuel.[1] When the two vehicles crossed paths the van lost control of its heavy trailer and collided with the minibus head on.[1] The diesel ignited causing an inferno that engulfed both vehicles.[1] In the end 17 parishioners were dead including 2 occupants from the van.[2] Two survivors were pulled from the wreckage by passers-by, one from the bus and one from the van.[2]

The Lac-Bouchette accident is the third deadliest traffic accident in Quebec history and sixth in Canadian history.[3]