I read a better article earlier today, but can't seem to find it now. Sounds like the FD in the neighbouring town had to put out a fire on the locomotive - their first move was to shut down the engine, geared to dealing with fuel leaks. The other article indicated they were on the phone at the time with the railroad, advising what they had done.
I don't know much about locomotives, but I find it hard to believe there is no provision for parking brakes w/o the engine running. Try getting an automobile safetied using that story !
Nantes fire chief confirms late night fire before Lac-M鬯ｯ?･??ｮantic explosion
NANTES, Que. Firefighters in the small town of Nantes said they extinguished a fire in the locomotive of a train Friday night and left it in the hands of railway employees to secure.
A short while after the firefighters finished their job at the scene, the train broke away and careened downhill into nearby Lac-Megantic, causing a deadly explosion.
Fire Chief Patrick Lambert, the head of the 20-man department said one of his crews responded to a call for a fire in a train locomotive at 11:32 p.m. Friday, and when they arrived at the scene 10 minutes later, the 12 firefighters put out the fire, which originated in a fuel or oil line.
No employees from train company Montreal, Maine & Atlantic were present.
"They told me it's normal during a shift change", Lambert said, adding that by the time his men were done at 12:13 a.m., two MMA employees were on the scene.
Lambert acknowledged his men had done some joint training in fighting locomotive fires with MMA, but that training had nothing to do with the air brake system.
"We don't touch the brakes", he said. "We are not specialists on trains, we're not mechanics. Our specialty is putting out fires."
I don't know much about locomotives, but I find it hard to believe there is no provision for parking brakes w/o the engine running. Try getting an automobile safetied using that story !
Nantes fire chief confirms late night fire before Lac-M鬯ｯ?･??ｮantic explosion
NANTES, Que. Firefighters in the small town of Nantes said they extinguished a fire in the locomotive of a train Friday night and left it in the hands of railway employees to secure.
A short while after the firefighters finished their job at the scene, the train broke away and careened downhill into nearby Lac-Megantic, causing a deadly explosion.
Fire Chief Patrick Lambert, the head of the 20-man department said one of his crews responded to a call for a fire in a train locomotive at 11:32 p.m. Friday, and when they arrived at the scene 10 minutes later, the 12 firefighters put out the fire, which originated in a fuel or oil line.
No employees from train company Montreal, Maine & Atlantic were present.
"They told me it's normal during a shift change", Lambert said, adding that by the time his men were done at 12:13 a.m., two MMA employees were on the scene.
Lambert acknowledged his men had done some joint training in fighting locomotive fires with MMA, but that training had nothing to do with the air brake system.
"We don't touch the brakes", he said. "We are not specialists on trains, we're not mechanics. Our specialty is putting out fires."
