(The Oregonian posted the following article by Elizabeth Suh on its website on January 30.)
PORTLAND, Ore. — Firefighters worked throughout Monday to extinguish a fire in a railroad tunnel in the Skyline area of Northwest Portland, said Karen Eubanks, a spokeswoman for Tualatin Valley Fire & Rescue.
The fire was about 500 feet from the west entrance of the Cornelius Pass tunnel, used to transport consumer goods and forest products.
A nearby motorist reported the fire just before 8 a.m. Firefighters found about 100 feet of wood beams in the tunnel burning, Eubanks said.
Firefighters hired by the tunnel’s corporate owner, the Portland & Western Railroad, arrived later, she said. They were using specialized tools such as a remote-controlled railcar Monday night in hopes of reopening the tunnel today.
The fire’s cause has not yet been determined.