Hundreds of railway ties in three different railway cars went up in flames on a train that pulled into Port Hope on Wednesday, August 4, 2021.
It was around 5:39 p.m. when a freight train with numerous rail cars on fire that were carrying old railway ties pulled up to the Hope Street South CP Rail crossing just north of Peter Street.
Numerous people in Port Hope spotted and sent Today’s Northumberland photos and videos of the train moving eastbound through Port Hope and over the via duct.
Frank Gallimore was out for a walk when he quickly grabbed his phone and took video showing at least two rail cars on fire with thick, black smoke emanating from the rail cars.
He quickly went to Hope Street and took more dramatic photos of the flaming rail cars before fire crews arrived.
Ryan Young (age 34) and his son Nathan (age 8) playing in a field just south of their home on Dorset Street East when they heard a train horn.
The CP Rail tracks are located just south of the field when the father and son were playing.
Young said he’s lived in the home on the north side of the field his entire life and it’s common to hear the sound of a train blaring it’s horn. But this was different. The train let out a long blast on the horn which grabbed Young’s attention.
“We heard the train whistle, looked up and saw a big cloud of smoke.”
“I actually thought a house was on fire at first. As he kept coming up and up that’s when I saw the flames coming out of the back.”
The train kept blowing it’s horn as it was moving almost as if to warn people.
Young told his son to quickly go inside their home while he called 9-1-1.
“It was crazy to see. Really thick, black smoke.”
Young said at one point there were three rail cars on fire. Each containing hundreds of old, used railway ties.
At one point the fire seemed like it was getting close to a tanker car which was the car directly in front of the railway ties.
“I’ve never seen anything like it – ever.”
Living so close to the train fire, Young said it did cause him concern with the smoke and the tank car, but they never were evacuated.
At times as Port Hope Fire and Emergency Services were fighting the fire, their fire apparatus disappeared within the smoke that travelled north.
Port Hope Fire and Emergency Services Deputy Fire Chief Jeff Ogden said it was a highly usual incident for even veteran firefighters having three rail cars on fire.
Shortly into attacking the fire a platform (aerial) truck was used with water, but firefighters quickly changed and used foam to help douse the flames.
All three fire stations in Port Hope responded to the blaze.
“There is a lot of creosote on the railway ties,” said Ogden.
The Ministry of Environment Spills Action Centre was contacted and will be following up.
Ogden also stated that when there is a train fire, they are to follow the protocol is to go to the nearest crossing for access from the nearest fire department.
The crossing was blocked for several hours while firefighters extinguished the blaze.
The train later went to east of Cobourg where CP Rail crews had planned to unload the rail cars to make sure the fire was completely extinguished.
There has been no cause what started the fire.
Today’s Northumberland appreciates photos and videos that were sent by Frank Gaillimore and Ryan Young.
Author: Pete Fisher
Has been a photojournalist for over 30-years and have been honoured to win numerous awards for photography and writing over the years. Best selling author for the book Highway of Heroes - True Patriot Love
