Trains Often Start Fires, This One Put a Fire Out
Often we hear about how sparks from trains start brush fires. In this case, a train helped put one out a few days ago.
Kennewick and Benton County Fire District 1 crews were battling a fie just south of Finley, located near Meals and Toothaker Roads. The fire was hard to access, so crews called in the three-car fire train from Pasco.
The train, equipped with powerful water cannons, is based out of Pasco, and is used to battle fires in areas that are hard for vehicles to reach. The train has cannons that sit up about 20 feet in the air, and Benton County Fire officials say with one or two passes, they can virtually extinguish just about any kind of fire. In this case, vehicles could not access the heavy brush area, so the train was brought in.
It's part of a collaboration from fire crews and Burlington Northern Santa Fe railroad. These trains can carry as much water as at least 40 large tanker fire rigs. Before this fire was brought under control, it consumed about 80 acres, but no damage to property or injuries.