A railroad locomotive started a fire on the McAlester Army Ammunition Plant in southeast Oklahoma on Monday which spread into a stockpile of railroad ties. The 20-acre fire extended along one mile of railroad track.
Here is an excerpt from a news release:
…There were no injuries or fatalities. The fire was declared contained at 6 p.m. on Monday but was still smoldering this morning and is being monitored by the McAAP fire agency.
McAAP has about 210 miles of railroad tracks.
Twenty McAAP firefighters, including four who were called back to duty, engaged the blaze using water and foam from six wildfire units and two pumper trucks. Several other independent fires broke out which were quickly contained.
Five buildings and at least six box cars were threatened by the grass fire. A single 500-square foot building already scheduled for demolition caught on fire but was extinguished. The coordinated effort of MCAAP’s fire department, railroad crews and roads and grounds personnel prevented the fire from causing any further damage. The fire was contained and presented no danger to the plant’s personnel and the communities surrounding the installation.
