(The following story by Jeffrey Gautreaux appeared on the Yuma Sun website on November 16.)
YUMA, Ariz. — A Union Pacific locomotive burned Monday east of Tacna after a fuel line leak led to a fire in the engine compartment.
“The second locomotive of the train had a fuel line leak, which sprayed fuel and caused the fire,” said UP director of public affairs John Bromley. “There was serious damage to the locomotive.”
The fire started at 2 p.m. on the tracks near the Mohawk rest area at mile post 55 on Interstate 8.
The Tacna Volunteer Fire Department was the first to respond to the fire. At 2:15 p.m., Rural/Metro Fire Department was called in to offer mutual aid.
“Tacna Fire Department handled the initial response and got the fire knocked down,”said Capt. Patrick Foley, of Rural/Metro. “We assisted them with overhaul of the engine.”
Foley said the train, which was carrying merchandise, was traveling east when the fire started.
There was no hazardous material on the train, no merchandise was damaged and there were no injuries, Foley said.
It is unknown if the locomotive can be put into service again. “There was extensive damage to the locomotive,” Foley said.
After the fire was extinguished, Foley said the train was moved to an area where the locomotive could be separated from the train and removed from the tracks. He said once this was done the train would continue on again.
Rural/Metro left the scene at about 4 p.m.
Spokeswoman Adele Wilke said Rural/Metro sent a water tender and an engine to the scene.
Wilke said the Arizona Department of Public Safety, Yuma County Sheriff’s Office and Union Pacific were also on the scene.
Bromley said leaking fuel lines have led to train fires in the past. “It happens occasionally,” he said.