(The Duluth News Tribune posted the following article on its website on June 23.)
DULUTH, Minn. — A train sparked grass fires along a nearly 10-mile swath of railroad track northwest of Proctor late Thursday afternoon.
Randy Nelson, chief of the Solway Township Volunteer Fire Department said the fires began near Midway Road and extended west along the old Duluth, Missabe and Iron Range Railway tracks to Vipert Road near Saginaw.
“That is a pretty good-sized fire when you have it scattered along a length like that,” Nelson said.
Nelson said he knew of no injuries and no property damage caused by the spot fires, which ranged in size to about five acres. He said firefighters brieflyconsidered closing U.S. Highway 2.
“It was getting to be a hazard on the highway with the amount of smoke,” Nelson said.
The tracks were closed for several hours. Nelson said the fires began about 5:45 p.m. Nearly all the fires were out by 7:15 p.m.
Firefighters from Hermantown, Proctor, Canosia, East Brevator, Industrial townships and the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources assisted.