From left, firefighter Ryan Gilbert, probationary firefighter Jake Hill, driver engineer Scott Peterson and fire captain Robert Gray work on extinguishing a fire in a diesel locomotive in Boulevard Park Monday.
JOHN STARK
THE BELLINGHAM HERALD
A fire in a diesel locomotive left a trainload of lumber stopped for about two hours Monday in Boulevard Park.
BNSF spokesman Gus Melonas said the fire appeared to begin about 11:45 a.m. in the braking area of the second of two locomotives hauling the southbound train from Vancouver, B.C., to Seattle. The locomotives are the property of CN and bear CN insignia but were pulling the BNSF train, Melonas said.
Bellingham Fire Department Battalion Chief Don Beattie said crewmen on the train attacked the blaze with chemical extinguishers, and one of the men apparently inhaled some of the flame-retardant powder and suffered shortness of breath. He was taken to St. Joseph Hospital but was not believed to be seriously hurt.
After railroad workers disconnected the locomotive's power system, Bellingham firefighters got on board with handheld extinguishers to make sure the fire was out. A few wisps of white smoke streamed out of the locomotive, and a smell of burning plastic hung in the air, but no flames were visible.
Beattie said firefighters wanted to make sure the blaze was extinguished before the train moved.
The incident delayed two other freight trains before the single track could be cleared. Melonas said the locomotive involved in the fire was hauled to Everett for evaluation, and the cause has yet to be determined.
JOHN STARK
THE BELLINGHAM HERALD
A fire in a diesel locomotive left a trainload of lumber stopped for about two hours Monday in Boulevard Park.
BNSF spokesman Gus Melonas said the fire appeared to begin about 11:45 a.m. in the braking area of the second of two locomotives hauling the southbound train from Vancouver, B.C., to Seattle. The locomotives are the property of CN and bear CN insignia but were pulling the BNSF train, Melonas said.
Bellingham Fire Department Battalion Chief Don Beattie said crewmen on the train attacked the blaze with chemical extinguishers, and one of the men apparently inhaled some of the flame-retardant powder and suffered shortness of breath. He was taken to St. Joseph Hospital but was not believed to be seriously hurt.
After railroad workers disconnected the locomotive's power system, Bellingham firefighters got on board with handheld extinguishers to make sure the fire was out. A few wisps of white smoke streamed out of the locomotive, and a smell of burning plastic hung in the air, but no flames were visible.
Beattie said firefighters wanted to make sure the blaze was extinguished before the train moved.
The incident delayed two other freight trains before the single track could be cleared. Melonas said the locomotive involved in the fire was hauled to Everett for evaluation, and the cause has yet to be determined.
