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                                                                    EXHIBIT 25.1
 
                          STATEMENT OF ELIGIBILITY OF
                      STATE STREET BANK AND TRUST COMPANY
 
                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549
 
                                    FORM T-1
                             ---------------------
                       STATEMENT OF ELIGIBILITY UNDER THE
                        TRUST INDENTURE ACT OF 1939 OF A
                    CORPORATION DESIGNATED TO ACT AS TRUSTEE
 
                CHECK IF AN APPLICATION TO DETERMINE ELIGIBILITY
                   OF A TRUSTEE PURSUANT TO SECTION 305(B)(2)
                      STATE STREET BANK AND TRUST COMPANY
              (Exact name of trustee as specified in its charter)
 

                                        
              MASSACHUSETTS                                04-1867445
    (Jurisdiction of incorporation or                   (I.R.S. Employer
organization if not a U.S. national bank)             Identification No.)
 
225 FRANKLIN STREET, BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS                   02110
 (Address of principal executive offices)                  (Zip Code)

 
  MAUREEN SCANNELL BATEMAN, ESQ. EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT AND GENERAL COUNSEL
                225 FRANKLIN STREET, BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS 02110
                                 (617) 654-3253
           (Name, address and telephone number of agent for service)
 
                            AMERICAN ECO CORPORATION
              (Exact name of obligor as specified in its charter)
 

                                        
             ONTARIO, CANADA                               52-1742490
     (State or other jurisdiction of                    (I.R.S. Employer
      incorporation or organization)                  Identification No.)

 
                             154 UNIVERSITY AVENUE
                            TORONTO, ONTARIO M5H 3Y9
 
                          9 5/8% SENIOR NOTES DUE 2008
                        (Title of indenture securities)
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                                    GENERAL
 
ITEM 1. GENERAL INFORMATION.
 
     Furnish the following information as to the trustee:
 
          (a) Name and address of each examining or supervisory authority to
     which it is subject.
 
           Department of Banking and Insurance of The Commonwealth of
           Massachusetts, 100 Cambridge Street, Boston, Massachusetts.
 
           Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, Washington, D.C.,
           Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, Washington, D.C.
 
          (b) Whether it is authorized to exercise corporate trust powers.
 
           Trustee is authorized to exercise corporate trust powers.
 
ITEM 2. AFFILIATIONS WITH OBLIGOR.
 
     If the Obligor is an affiliate of the trustee, describe each such
affiliation.
 
          The obligor is not an affiliate of the trustee or of its parent, State
     Street Corporation.
 
          (See note on page 2.)
 
ITEM 3. THROUGH ITEM 15. NOT APPLICABLE.
 
ITEM 16. LIST OF EXHIBITS.
 
     List below all exhibits filed as part of this statement of eligibility.
 
     1. A copy of the articles of association of the trustee as now in effect.
 
        A copy of the Articles of Association of the trustee, as now in effect,
        is on file with the Securities and Exchange Commission as Exhibit 1 to
        Amendment No. 1 to the Statement of Eligibility and Qualification of
        Trustee (Form T-1) filed with the Registration Statement of Morse Shoe,
        Inc. (File No. 22-17940) and is incorporated herein by reference
        thereto.
 
     2. A copy of the certificate of authority of the trustee to commence
business, if not contained in the articles of association.
 
        A copy of a Statement from the Commissioner of Banks of Massachusetts
        that no certificate of authority for the trustee to commence business
        was necessary or issued is on file with the Securities and Exchange
        Commission as Exhibit 2 to Amendment No. 1 to the Statement of
        Eligibility and Qualification of Trustee (Form T-1) filed with the
        Registration Statement of Morse Shoe, Inc. (File No. 22-17940) and is
        incorporated herein by reference thereto.
 
     3. A copy of the authorization of the trustee to exercise corporate trust
powers, if such authorization is not contained in the documents specified in
paragraph (1) or (2), above.
 
        A copy of the authorization of the trustee to exercise corporate trust
        powers is on file with the Securities and Exchange Commission as Exhibit
        3 to Amendment No. 1 to the Statement of Eligibility and Qualification
        of Trustee (Form T-1) filed with the Registration Statement of Morse
        Shoe, Inc. (File No. 22-17940) and is incorporated herein by reference
        thereto.
 
     4. A copy of the existing by-laws of the trustee, or instruments
corresponding thereto.
 
        A copy of the by-laws of the trustee, as now in effect, is on file with
        the Securities and Exchange Commission as Exhibit 4 to the Statement of
        Eligibility and Qualification of Trustee (Form T-1)
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        filed with the Registration Statement of Eastern Edison Company (File
        No. 33-37823) and is incorporated herein by reference thereto.
 
     5. A copy of each indenture referred to in Item 4. if the obligor is in
default.
 
        Not applicable.
 
     6. The consents of United States institutional trustees required by Section
321(b) of the Act.
 
        The consent of the trustee required by Section 321(b) of the Act is
        annexed hereto as Exhibit 6 and made a part hereof.
 
     7. A copy of the latest report of condition of the trustee published
pursuant to law or the requirements of its supervising or examining authority.
 
        A copy of the latest report of condition of the trustee published
        pursuant to law or the requirements of its supervising or examining
        authority is annexed hereto as Exhibit 7 and made a part hereof.
 
                                     NOTES
 
     In answering any item of this Statement of Eligibility which relates to
matters peculiarly within the knowledge of the obligor or any underwriter for
the obligor, the trustee has relied upon information furnished to it by the
obligor and the underwriters, and the trustee disclaims responsibility for the
accuracy or completeness of such information.
 
     The answer furnished to Item 2. of this statement will be amended, if
necessary, to reflect any facts which differ from those stated and which would
have been required to be stated if known at the date hereof.
 
                                   SIGNATURE
 
     Pursuant to the requirements of the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as
amended, the trustee, State Street Bank and Trust Company, a corporation
organized and existing under the laws of The Commonwealth of Massachusetts, has
duly caused this statement of eligibility to be signed on its behalf by the
undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, all in the City of Boston and The
Commonwealth of Massachusetts, on the 2nd day of June, 1998.
 
                                        STATE STREET BANK AND TRUST COMPANY
 
                                        By:       /s/ SUSAN C. MERKER
                                           -------------------------------------
                                           Susan C. Merker
                                           Vice President
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                                                                       EXHIBIT 6
 
                             CONSENT OF THE TRUSTEE
 
     Pursuant to the requirements of Section 321(b) of the Trust Indenture Act
of 1939, as amended, in connection with the proposed issuance by AMERICAN ECO
CORPORATION of its 9 5/8% SERIES B SENIOR SECURED NOTES DUE 2008, we hereby
consent that reports of examination by Federal, State, Territorial or District
authorities may be furnished by such authorities to the Securities and Exchange
Commission upon request therefor.
 
                                        STATE STREET BANK AND TRUST COMPANY
 
                                        By:       /s/ SUSAN C. MERKER
                                           -------------------------------------
                                           Susan C. Merker
                                           Vice President
 
Dated: June 2, 1998
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                                                                       EXHIBIT 7
 
     Consolidated Report of Condition of State Street Bank and Trust Company,
Massachusetts and foreign and domestic subsidiaries, a state banking institution
organized and operating under the banking laws of this commonwealth and a member
of the Federal Reserve System, at the close of business December 31, 1997,
published in accordance with a call made by the Federal Reserve Bank of this
District pursuant to the provisions of the Federal Reserve Act and in accordance
with a call made by the Commissioner of Banks under General Laws, Chapter 172,
Section 22(a).
 
                                     ASSETS
 


                                                              THOUSANDS OF
                                                                DOLLARS
                                                              ------------
                                                           
Cash and balances due from depository institutions:
  Noninterest-bearing balances and currency and coin........  $ 2,220,829
  Interest-bearing balances.................................   10,076,045
Securities..................................................   10,373,821
Federal funds sold and securities purchased under agreements
  to resell in domestic offices of the bank and its Edge
  subsidiary................................................    5,124,310
Loans and lease financing receivables:
  Loans and leases, net of unearned income..................    6,270,348
  Allowance for loan and lease losses.......................       82,820
  Allocated transfer risk reserve...........................            0
  Loans and leases, net of unearned income and allowances...    6,187,528
Assets held in trading accounts.............................   1, 241,555
Premises and fixed assets...................................      410,029
Other real estate owned.....................................          100
Investments in unconsolidated subsidiaries..................       38,831
Customers' liability to this bank on acceptances
  outstanding...............................................       44,962
Intangible assets...........................................      224,049
Other assets................................................    1,507,650
                                                              -----------
          Total assets......................................  $37,449,709
                                                              ===========
 
                               LIABILITIES
Deposits:
  In domestic offices.......................................  $10,115,205
     Noninterest-bearing....................................    7,739,136
     Interest-bearing.......................................    2,376,069
  In foreign offices and Edge subsidiary....................   14,791,134
     Noninterest-bearing....................................       71,889
     Interest-bearing.......................................   14,719,245
Federal funds purchased and securities sold under agreements
  to repurchase in domestic offices of the bank and of its
  Edge subsidiary...........................................    7,603,920
Demand notes issued to the U.S. Treasury and Trading
  Liabilities...............................................      194,059
Trading liabilities.........................................    1,036,905
Other borrowed money........................................      459,252
Subordinated notes and debentures...........................            0
Bank's liability on acceptances executed and outstanding....       44,962
Other liabilities...........................................      972,782
                                                              -----------
          Total liabilities.................................   35,218,219
                                                              -----------
 
EQUITY CAPITAL
 
Perpetual preferred stock and related surplus...............            0
Common stock................................................       29,931
Surplus.....................................................      444,620
Undivided profits and capital reserves/Net unrealized
  holding gains (losses)....................................    1,763,076
Cumulative foreign currency translation adjustments.........       (6,137)
                                                              -----------
          Total equity capital..............................    2,231,490
                                                              -----------
          Total liabilities and equity capital..............  $37,449,709
                                                              ===========

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     I, Rex S. Schuette, Senior Vice President and Comptroller of the above
named bank do hereby declare that this Report of Condition has been prepared in
conformance with the instructions issued by the Board of Governors of the
Federal Reserve System and is true to the best of my knowledge and belief.
 
                                            Rex S. Schuette
 
     We, the undersigned directors, attest to the correctness of this Report of
Condition and declare that it has been examined by us and to the best of our
knowledge and belief has been prepared in conformance with the instructions
issued by the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System and is true and
correct.
 
                                            David A. Spina
                                            Marshall N. Carter
                                            Truman S. Casner