Another fire destroys nearly 100-year-old railroad bridge
Written by RT&S StaffLabor Day weekend fires were working their way through territory in the western U.S., and one of them engulfed a Yakima River railroad bridge in the state of Washington.
The wooden trestle bridge, which is believed to be almost 100 years old, is used by the Central Washington Railroad. The short-liner leases the span from BNSF. Central Washington Railroad President Brig Temple says several hundred feet of the structure is gone.
Trains use the line to ship agricultural products. One local farmer, Brian Stott, tried to point out hot spots to firefighters. However, the first responders’ priority was to try to save homes in the area.
Investigators do not know what caused the fire, but strong winds hampered the extinguishing effort.
Read more articles on railroad bridges.