(The following story by Matt Hanley appeared on the Aurora Beacon News website on September 22.)
AURORA, Ill. — A small fire in a freight car delayed train traffic during rush hour Monday evening.
According to Geneva Fire Lt. Bill Williams, a mechanical failure in the wheel assembly of a refrigerated train car started a small fire about 6 p.m. The train was stopped while 33 firefighters from Geneva and Batavia fire departments tried to extinguish the flames.
The fire was on the Union Pacific tracks, behind 33W365 Route 38, east of Kirk Road.
Traffic on both commuter and freight tracks was temporarily stopped Monday night, Williams said.
The fire was extinguished by 6 p.m. The train was hauling butter but the contents were unaffected, Williams said.
The fire damaged the insulation and floor decking, but a damage estimate was unknown.
“The car was relatively unharmed,” he said.
Williams said he had heard of fires started by the wheel assembly, but this was the first time he had seen it spread to the freight car.