(The Wyoming News posted the following Associated Press article on its website on April 10.)
PLEASANT VIEW, Utah — A controlled burn that got away from a rancher ignited a stationary rail car full of lumber, forcing closure of the Union Pacific rail line for more than two hours.
The rail car eventually was pushed off the rail by a backhoe, which broke the car into manageable pieces and the North View Fire Department put the fire out.
U.S. 89 to the Box Elder-Weber county line was closed, forcing traffic to be rerouted. Several power poles and power lines were damaged.
Fire Marshal Joe Anderson said the landowner, who had a burn permit, was burning weeds near the rail about 2 p.m. Tuesday when it got away from him after a light wind picked up.
Lumber on the southernmost rail car in the line of six cars caught fire. The other five cars were empty.
Crews battled to keep rail lines cool, preventing them from warping.