March 4, 2009 - KCS Railroad Fire Damages Four Box Cars and City Water Main

Special car used to deluge the fire with large amounts of water

The Shreveport Fire Department was dispatched at 12:38 PM this afternoon for what appeared to be four Kansas City Southern Railroad boxcars on fire. Engine Four responding from their station at 2200 Milam Street was the first company to arrive on scene at 12:44 PM. Upon arrival fire crews found a long line of boxcars that was stopped and the cross ties on the Cross Lake spillway trestle on fire. The boxcars were traveling back to KCS’s Amiss Rail Yard when the fire occurred and were empty of any products at the time of the fire. The cross ties burned hot enough to melt the metal on the four boxcars and ruptured a city water main that provides water to the Lakeview community north of Shreveport. Presently, the city of Shreveport Water and Sewerage has been able to sustain water supply to the Lakeview Community but at a lower pressure than they are accustomed too. As soon as the area is fully extinguished and cools down, crews will repair the water main.

To assist firefighters in extinguishing the blaze, KCS brought in a special tanker rail car that carries 40,000 gallons of water and houses three water master streams. This special car was used to deluge the fire with large amounts of water for extinguishment.

There were no injuries from this fire and there were no contaminants spilled into the lake from the incident. Fire crew will remain on scene there until the fire is under control. The cause of the fire will be determined as soon as investigators can safely enter the area.