Early yesterday morning, residents in Milwaukie were startled by a massive fire that engulfed a train trestle bridge. Clackamas fire crews were quickly on the scene near the 13600 block of Southeast Fairoaks Drive after responding to the incident around 2:40 a.m. The bridge, a vital piece of rail infrastructure, was consumed by flames, causing substantial damage and disruption.
Despite the dramatic nature of the fire, the skilled firefighters were able to bring the situation under control. By approximately 3:50 a.m., the fire was under control, and crews continued to work diligently to extinguish hotspots, as by KGW. As a result of the blaze, the train track operated by P&W Railroad has been closed, with no clear indication from officials on when it will be reopened for rail traffic.
The impact of the fire was felt not only by the train services but also by the local community. Residents in the vicinity found remnants of the disaster scattered in their yards, with black charred debris from the trestle bridge. According to the Clackamas Fire, people living nearby witnessed the fierce blaze and shared images of the aftermath, a narrative corroborated by KOIN coverage.
While thankfully no injuries have been reported, the cause of the fire remains a mystery, with investigations currently underway to determine its origin. Crews with P&W Railroad are on site assessing the extent of the structural damage to the trestle, which has suspended the usual hum and rattle of train cars over the bridge. "There is some structural damage to the trestle," mentioned an update from KPTV, pointing to a longer road to recovery and service restoration for the impacted railroad.
