Bird Box: Netflix refuses to remove rail disaster footage used in Sandra Bullock film

Netflix has refused to edit its post-apocalypse drama Bird Box after it was criticised for using footage of a real-life train disaster that killed 47.

The streaming service confirmed that footage from Canada’s Lac-Mégantic tragedy was used to depict a fictional apocalyptic scenario in the survival horror film.

But now, a Netflix spokesman told AP it had no plns to remove the footage, confirming: “We will keep the clip in the movie.”

The spokesman reportedly acknowledged that the streaming service will be looking at ways to prevent this happening again in future.

In 2013, a 74-car freight train transporting crude oil derailed next to the town of Lac-Mégantic in 2013, resulting in the deaths of 47 people and the destruction of dozens of buildings.

The BBC reports that Netflix has previously used footage of the tragedy in the Canadian-American science fiction show Travellers, with the repurposed footage representing a nuclear attack on London.

The mayor of Lac-Mégantic, Julie Morin, critisised Netflix for using the footage, telling Candian press: “You can be sure we are going to follow up on this, and our citizens are on our side.”

Travellers‘ production company, Peacock Alley Entertainment, has released a statement apologising, saying they acquired the footage from stock footage vendor Pond 5 ”and weren’t aware of its specific source”. They added that they did not mean to dishonour the Lac-Mégantic incident and would be replacing the footage.

Pond 5 also released a statement, saying they regretted that the footage had been ”taken out of context and used in entertainment programming”. They apologise “to anyone who was offended, especially the victims and their families”.

Their library of stock footage has been used by multiple production companies and includes a variety of archived footage. However, they say it’s rare “that something like this occurs” and will contact customers who have used the particular clip to make them aware ”of the sensitive nature of this footage”.