(The following story by Dennis Thompson appeared on the Statesman Journal website on July 4.)
SALEM, Ore. — A railroad boxcar full of paper burned for more than 12 hours before firefighters were able to put it out Tuesday.
The boxcar was reported burning around 10:30 p.m. Monday in the 3800 block of Portland Road NE, Salem fire spokesman Bill Holmstrom said.
Firefighters worked through the night separating the paper from the boxcar.
They moved the car to an auxiliary track, then removed the boxcar’s top and tipped it over.
The large mound of paper that fell out continued to smolder and burn, Holmstrom said.
Water trucks were brought out to dump water onto the pile and get the fire out completely.
It was extinguished around noon.
The boxcar belongs to Union Pacific, and is considered an $8,000 loss. Holmstrom wasn’t sure who owned the paper contents.
The cause of the fire still is under investigation, Holmstrom said.