A massive fire is burning near Phoenix, Arizona, on Wednesday morning following a freight train derailment on a bridge.
Union Pacific said at least ten cars derailed on a bridge over Tempe Town Lake at 6:15 am, reported CBS 5 Phoenix.
Video from social media shows scenes of the train derailment on the bridge. Tempe firefighters, paramedics, and police have arrived at the incident area.
Authorities are responding to an apparent train derailment and fire on a bridge in Tempe, Arizona. Police asked people to avoid the area. https://t.co/gIKsa7gM8s pic.twitter.com/2HBpaO3MuO
— ABC News (@ABC) July 29, 2020
Train derailment in #Tempe this morning. Nearly 100 firefighters battling this blaze. Video shot by @dnado | @TelemundoAZ pic.twitter.com/UgZX7A3Ohq
— Christian Villegas (@chrisvillegas29) July 29, 2020
“This is a coordinated attack with several agencies fighting the fire involving multiple train cars,” Tempe police Det. Natalie Barela said in a statement, quoted by NBC News.
#BREAKING: Emergency services responding to freight train derailment on bridge near downtown Tempe, Arizona
— I.E.N. (@BreakingIEN) July 29, 2020
“The cause of the derailment has not been identified. This is a very fluid and active scene,” said Barela.
Tempe Fire Medical Rescue told Fox News multiple train cars carrying lumber were on fire, describing the incident as a second-alarm.
An aerial view shows a partial bridge collapse over Tempe Town Lake.
It’s not yet clear what caused the train derailment.
That whole bridge is gonna have to be replaced. I hope there is an investigation in progress as to the cause of the derailment as well as why the fire.
This is the reason why pipelines are a whole safer than trains to move oil across our country.