Lac-Megantic’s scorched, oil-soaked Jesus Christ statue gets overhaul

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Auto body shop owner Gilles Perron looks at the restored statue of the Sacred Heart, Wednesday, June 11, 2014 in Lac-Megantic, Que. The statue, usually sitting in front of the St-Agnes church, was damaged by the towering flames during last July\'s train derailment that killed 47 people. The statue will be replaced on its base in time for the first year anniversary celebrations. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Paul Chiasson

LAC-MEGANTIC, Que. – The charred, oil-splattered Jesus Christ statue that became a symbol of the deadly Lac-Megantic derailment has undergone a facelift ahead of the disaster’s first anniversary.

A photograph of the statue circled the planet after a runaway train carrying volatile crude oil slammed into the Quebec town last summer and exploded.

The image shows the life-sized effigy of Christ, with arms outstretched, facing the inferno as it swallows the nearby downtown core.

The makeover comes as Lac-Megantic prepares to commemorate the first anniversary of the July 6 crash, which incinerated buildings and killed 47 people.

Auto-body shop owner Gilles Perron says he washed the crude oil from the statue and used automotive paint for its fresh golden hue.

The deacon says the 93-year-old cast-iron likeness will soon be re-installed in front of Ste-Agnes Church as part of a new monument dedicated to victims.

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