BEND, Ore. — A potentially dangerous locomotive fire on a northbound BNSF freight train was quickly contained Tuesday afternoon south of Bend, thanks to a rapid response from firefighters and the train crew’s swift actions.
According to Bend Fire & Rescue, crews were dispatched at approximately 3:15 p.m. on June 2 to reports of a train fire near Baker Road in the Deschutes River Woods area. Emergency calls from Morning Star School and BNSF officials reported flames and smoke coming from the lead locomotive.
When firefighters arrived, they found smoke and flames coming from the top of the locomotive where the braking system is located. Crews used fire extinguishers and water to quickly bring the blaze under control. No injuries were reported.
Train engineers told responders they were traveling north from Klamath Falls when they felt a jolt and soon noticed smoke coming from the locomotive. The crew was able to stop the train before it entered Bend, preventing disruptions to traffic and reducing the risk of a larger emergency.
Officials said the train came to a stop in an area where previous wildfire mitigation work had created a fire break. That cleared area helped prevent the fire from spreading into nearby vegetation and potentially threatening the surrounding neighborhood.
No cargo cars or additional locomotives were endangered by the fire. However, BNSF temporarily halted rail traffic in both directions while the damaged locomotive was removed and the train was relocated to a staging yard in Bend. Cheyenne Road was also closed for a period to allow firefighters to deploy hoses to the scene.
Bend Fire & Rescue noted that locomotive fires present unique challenges due to the large amounts of electricity generated by train engines, creating significant hazards for firefighters. Officials credited cooperation between emergency crews and train personnel for helping contain the incident safely and efficiently.
The incident also underscored the benefits of ongoing wildfire mitigation efforts in Deschutes River Woods. A vegetation-reduction project funded through a 2024 grant from the Oregon State Fire Marshal’s Office helped create defensible space along the railroad corridor. The work, completed in partnership with Bend Fire & Rescue, the neighborhood association and BNSF, involved mowing overgrown brush and establishing fuel breaks designed to slow wildfire spread.
Fire officials said those mitigation measures not only provided firefighters with a safe working area during Tuesday’s incident but also significantly reduced the chance of the train fire spreading into the neighborhood.
Residents can learn more about creating defensible space around their homes through Own Your Zone.
About the Author
Discover more from Right Now Oregon
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
