AUGUSTA— Maine Gov. Paul LePage will visit the small Quebec town just across the border where a runaway train killed dozens of people and leveled much of the downtown, his office said Wednesday.

LePage will attend a memorial Mass for the victims Saturday in Lac-Megantic. Before the ceremony, he will meet with Lac-Megantic Mayor Colette Roy-Laroche and other Canadian officials.

“While a line divides our countries, it does not divide our people, and it is important for Maine to support our northern neighbors during this time of need,” LePage said in a statement.

An unattended train carrying oil broke loose July 6 and hurtled down a seven-mile incline, derailing and igniting near the Lac-Megantic’s downtown, killing 47 people.

LePage’s office said that Maine-Canada Trade Ombudsman Daniel Deveau visited the town last week with a delegation from Franklin County to assess the town’s needs and provide support.

“For years, these two communities have forged relationships to share culture and economic growth,” LePage said. “And in difficult times like this those bonds extend even farther,” he said. “Recovery work remains, and I have pledged to the people of Lac-Megantic and the region our support.”

The train was heading into Maine and has raised questions about rail safety in Maine and elsewhere.

After the derailment, LePage issued an executive order directing the Maine Department of Transportation to review the state’s rail infrastructure. Through the end of the summer, federal railroad inspectors are also inspecting Maine tracks that are used to transport crude oil, including those owned by the rail company involved in the catastrophic derailment.

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