Fire in crosstie yard leads to evacuations; officials say heat could be the cause

Multiple fire departments battled a crosstie blaze in Nevada.

North Lyon County Fire Protection District Facebook

Firefighters from multiple departments spent much of Sept. 7 battling a crosstie fire in Hazen, Nev.

The blaze destroyed the entire railroad tie yard and smoke was traveling west and northeast. People close to the fire had to be evacuated from their homes or business, and on Sept. 8 schools were operating with extreme caution. Outdoor physical activities were limited, and children were being kept inside for lunch and recess. U.S. Highway 50 was closed from Farm District Road to Leetville junction.

Authorities said heat is a possible cause of the fire, which could take several days to completely extinguish. Fire crews were putting buffers around the yard to prevent the fire from spreading.

“The dry, hot days we are experiencing as well as the amount of fuel, railroad ties, that are stacked up in that industrial yard have combined for a very hot and dangerous fire,” the Churchill County Sheriff’s Office said in a statement.

Read more articles on track construction.