Despite multiple fires spreading along the train tracks that run through Biddeford, Saco, Old Orchard Beach and Scarborough earlier this spring, the state found no violations in its official report after investigating the incident.
Although the state didn’t find any official violations, neighbors remain skeptical and say there is a lot of trash along the tracks ”“ including old railroad ties treated with creosote, a wood preservative that can produce toxic chemicals when burned, according to the EPA ”“ and it’s likely just a matter of time before another fire is ignited, causing issues for trains and their crews as well as abutters and their properties. Some tracks in the area even traverse highly traveled roads that are frequented by cars and pedestrians alike, particularly in Old Orchard Beach.
In recent interviews with the Journal Tribune, several abutters and area residents said the trash near the railway is a major problem ”“ no matter who is responsible for it ending up there ”“ and it’s clear old ties and other debris need to be removed.
It is time for the owner of the rails ”“ Pan Am Railways ”“ to do a serious and thorough cleanup effort, to remove this dangerous debris once and for all. After old ties and other trash and dead vegetation are removed, it’s important that the periodic cleanups, which the railway company claims it already completes, continue to ensure fire hazards are not located near the train tracks.
On May 8, the fires that sprang up along the railroad tracks destroyed 10 trailers at a campground in Old Orchard Beach. In addition, six trailers sustained heat damage. Luckily, there were no deaths or serious injuries, but a few firefighters had to be treated for exhaustion after fighting the fires for nearly five hours.
Area fire departments continued to respond to calls for flare-ups for several hours after the scene in Old Orchard Beach was cleared, according to local fire officials.
In a report released in mid-July, The Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry found that the fires were caused by sparks from a Pan Am freight train, due to an undetermined mechanical problem, after a two-month investigation. According to the report, at least 47 separate fires were ignited along the train tracks in the four communities, and numerous fire departments responded, as well as two forest rangers and a forest service helicopter.
Residents also helped out, which Saco Fire Chief John Duross said at the time helped to minimize damage in some areas. He said he saw residents and city staff with garden hoses; the city’s police chief and mayor were also working side by side to extinguish a fire on Beach Street in Saco, Duross said.
Although Pan Am Railways was not found to be in violation of any state laws, nor was it charged in relation to the fires, it is clearly the company’s responsibility to keep the railways clean and clear of debris, trash and other items that could cause fires.
Maine law says that an area of seven feet outside of railroad tracks must be kept clean of flammable materials, and in an area that has experienced one or more railroad-caused fires within five years, the buffer increases to 25 feet. We hope state officials keep a close eye on these areas to make sure Pan Am is doing its due diligence in cleaning up their property, particularly since multiple fires were started along the tracks by one of its trains. Regardless of the reason, it’s important that Pan Am work to ensure a fire doesn’t ignite and cause this kind of damage again.
Comments are not available on this story.
Send questions/comments to the editors.
