Bend Fire Department responded to a fire in a BNSF locomotive Wednesday just before noon. Callers noted the train was stopped along the tracks south of Bend near the entry of the High Desert Museum and Deschutes River Woods. OSP was the first to arrive and found both employees out of the train and fire visible from the top of the front locomotive.
Bend Fire crews were able to access the train from Highway 97 and extinguish the fire located in one of the upper compartments of the locomotive, just behind the engineers cab. The power supply for the trains breaking system is located in this compartment. None of the fuel lines for the engines nearly 4,700 gallons of diesel were involved in this fire.
The fire was stopped before it was able to spread any further in the train or to adjacent vegetation or homes. No hazardous materials, freight or neighboring homes were threatened by this fire. ODOT shut down the outside lane of southbound Hwy 97 while fire crews worked on the fire. The emergency crossing was opened for a brief time during the incident to allow access by fire crews. BNSF representatives were on scene quickly and are working on a plan to move the locomotive to their repair facilities. BNSF did not give any time frame for train service returning.
BNSF is working to determine the exact cause of the fire but appeared to be mechanical or electrical failure in the locomotive. No roads or crossings are blocked by the stalled train, including the emergency egress crossing out of DRW. Bend Fire was assisted by ODOT, OSP, BNSF Police and BNSF Trainmaster.
