The Norman Transcript

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April 8, 2009

UPDATED: Fire halts trains near Noble

By Ellis Goodman and Peggy Laizure

Transcript Staff Writers

NOBLE — Firefighters were called to the railroad tracks on Cemetery Road shortly before 11 a.m. today where a controlled fire quickly got out of hand and set a large stack of railroad ties next to the tracks on fire.

It also stalled trains for much of the day. Firefighters from Slaughterville, Lexington, Noble, Norman, Goldsby and Little Axe were on the scene.

Slaughterville assistant fire chief Jimmy Blair was coordinating the fight. He said the stack of tires were 200 feet long by 4 feet wide and had been soaked in creosote.

Creosote is petroleum based and “makes for a pretty good fire,” Blair said.

The flames jumped the railroad tracks and burned 40 acres west of the tracks on the south side of Cemetery Road, moving within 100 feet of a house and barn. It also warped nearly 200 feet of railroad track that will have be replaced.

“The fire did get close to a house and barn, but we were able to contain it but we will be here all afternoon putting out the rest of the fire,” Blair said.

The track will be temporarily repaired with snap track, an official with the Burlington Northern Santa Fe railroad said. They will come back later to do full repairs.

“Our primary concern is getting the track open,” he said.

It will be 5 or 6 p.m. before the fire is completely under control, Blair said.

Joe Faust, spokesman for Burlington Northern Santa Fe, said the tracks should be open by 9 p.m. today. The northbound Amtrak 822 will be given first priority once the tracks are open.

Kristy Collins lives across the tracks with her children and noticed a lot of smoke and flame, she said.

“It was a little unnerving,” she said. “It was pretty big.”

By 3:30 p.m. Wednesday, much of the fire was under control but a few hot spots flames remained. Flames rose above the top of a caterpillar back hoe firefighters were using to spread the pile making it easier to get water on the burning ties.

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