Some boaters saw an unusual sight on the Susquehanna River near Havre de Grace Friday: a fire boat shooting large plumes of water at the CSX Railroad bridge high above it.
A fire started on the railroad bridge Friday afternoon, when CSX says the local fire department alerted them of the problem.
The Susquehanna Hose Company responded with its Fire-Rescue Boat 5, attacking the fire with not one, but two “master streams.” The fire boat was able to respond more quickly than land-based crews, who had to make their way down the tracks out onto the bridge. Luckily there were no trains on the bridge at the time of the fire.
Susquehanna Hose Company tweeted photos of the scene:
CSX halted rail traffic while crews got the fire under control. In a statement, the rail company says, “We appreciate the swift response of the Susquehanna Hose Company. Safety is our top priority at CSX. We worked in close coordination with the first responders.”
The fire was placed under control on Friday and no one was injured. CSX is not commenting on a possible cause.
-Meg Walburn Viviano
