French Island, WI, Railroad Tie Facility Fire Difficult to Extinguish
La Crosse Tribune, Wis.
(TNS)
Oct. 1—Fire crews were still on the scene late into the afternoon after a large fire broke out on the southern edge of French Island early Tuesday morning.
The blaze started overnight at Tie Yard of Omaha, a business that grinds up scrap railway ties and materials into chips that can be used to create biofuel.
The fire broke out in the early morning hours and flames could be seen shooting high above the site. By daybreak, the fire remained active as firefighters worked at the scene. Billowing smoke from the site could be seen for miles.
Video from the scene posted to Facebook showed flames near a large steel hoop structure and a fire truck boom arm pouring water into the area.
It was not immediately clear how significant the damage to the large facility may be.
"The La Crosse facility is well-connected, being served by Canadian National, CPKC Railway, BNSF Railway, and Union Pacific, which enables us to efficiently transport materials from all corners of the country for processing," Tie Yard of Omaha states on its website. "Our ability to load change-out ties on track or stockpile them for shipment sets us apart and makes us a highly flexible and reliable partner for our customers."
The Campbell Police Department posted on its Facebook page Bainbridge Street reopened around 3:30 p.m., but Usher Street on French Island remains closed. Police asked people to stay away from the area so emergency crews could work. — River Valley Media Group Reporter Steve Rundio contributed to this report.
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