A dramatic fire this evening along the American River Parkway near Cal Expo destroyed a Union Pacific mainline track sending billowing black smoke into the blue skies and disrupting train traffic through the Central Valley. The hot-burning fire, first reported at 5:41 p.m., quickly consumed about 300 feet of  trestle timber and tracks in a secluded section of the American River Parkway just north of the American River.

The fire erupted just moments before Dawn and I left our Point West office. From the parking lot, we could see the giant plume of thick, black smoke rising a thousand feet, meeting the high pressure layer that’s been responsible for our recent spring-like weather, and then extending at a right angle off to the east. Dawn snapped a couple of photos from the parking lot (I’ll post later) while I drove down Tribute to the levy to get a closer look.

It was a spectacular sight. The hundred year old trestle had been built using creosote-soaked bridge timber which produced the heavy black smoke and made extinguishing the fire all but impossible. As water was applied to the flames, the resulting white steam created a mix of swirling black and white smoke that combined in places to a deepened shade of grey. The sheer quantity of smoke was astounding.

Slowed by the lack of traditional access to water in the area, firefighters from the Sacramento City Fire Department and Sacramento Metro Fire District relied on relay-pumping from hydrants in developed areas on the north side of the parkway levee near Cal Expo. At least one pump boat was maneuvered into the area to pump additional water on the flames. The plan, according to a Fire Department spokesman, was to concentrate on the two ends of the trestle and allow the middle to essentially burn itself out. Protecting the nearby bridge was of paramount importance.

The fire, several hundred yards west of the Capitol City Freeway, caused backups for miles during the evening rush hour and,  according to news radio, the smoke plume could be seen from 50 miles away. As more and more fire vehicles and spectators arrived, I headed home. No sense adding to the confusion. I understand that, as night fell and firefighting continued, burned sections of the 25-foot-high rail trestle were beginning to collapse and the blaze showed little sign of dying down.

I’ll be interested to learn what caused the fire. Amazingly, I haven’t heard much speculation and officials have stated that it’s too early to assess possible causes. I heard people saying that a gas line of some sort runs beneath the trestle. Perhaps even more surprising, I heard no mention of the dreaded “T” word…

I feel sorry for Amtrak commuters who routinely travel the line; they’ll have to find alternative transportation unless Amtrak sets up bus lines to handle their usual traffic. The trestle looks to be a total loss, so I don’t expect things to return to normal for quite some time.