Grass fire along railroad tracks in Port Arthur likely caused by train sparks
Published 2:00 pm Monday, April 8, 2024
Port Arthur firefighters work to extinguish the grass fire Sunday. (Mary Meaux/The News)
A grass fire possibly started by a passing train burned several blocks of land along Lombardy Drive Sunday in Port Arthur. (Mary Meaux/The News)
A view of smoke from a grass fire from 29th Street at Lombardy Drive to approximately 25th Street. (Mary Meaux/The News)
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A dangerous reminder that the area is experiencing drought conditions came in the form of a grass fire Sunday along the railroad tracks on a portion of Lombardy Drive.
Several Port Arthur Fire Department trucks arrived at approximately 4:40 p.m. and began extinguishing the blaze that ran the length of the tracks from before 25th Street to 29th Street along Lombardy Drive.
Neighbors and motorists were seen viewing the fire, some while talking on their cell phones.
Port Arthur Fire Chief Greg Benson said there is no formal investigation into the cause, but it appears a train was throwing sparks as it traveled the tracks, and some of the sparks landed on combustive areas.
Current conditions are dry, but that can change in the next few days.
“We are technically still in drought conditions,” Benson said as he asked the public to be aware of this heightened risk of fire.
Benson said it was good that the fire was called in to 911 early, because that small grass fire can grow. The wind can also play a factor and push a fire along and compound the situation going from small grass fire to possibly a shed or garage fire to a house fire.
The fire was extinguished Sunday.
