PUSLINCH – Another train sparked another grass fire along the track that runs through Arkell and that has neighbours up in arms about occurrences they call “frequent” and about the potential for the fires to spread.
The latest fire occurred the afternoon of June 20 along tracks near the intersection of Carter and Cook’s Mill roads.
Fire Chief Tom Mulvey said the fire was about 30 feet wide and 90 feet long when firefighters arrived on scene.
He said it was “quickly contained” thanks to the fact that Guelph Junction Railway (GJR) has placed water tanks at locations along the rail line for this very purpose.
“We fought it from two different directions and that helped too,” Mulvey said, adding 10 firefighters were on scene within 10 minutes of the 911 call.
Mulvey said not all grass fires along train tracks are caused by passing trains but in this case, “it’s likely a train started it,” he said.
Kate Dewasha’s home backs onto the tracks, so this fire was almost in her backyard.
“Our community is quite concerned that these fires are now becoming common,” she stated in an email on June 21.
“The fire yesterday was surrounded by freshly cut hay fields. The neighbours and I were astonished that it did not catch fire (due to the community jumping into action, yet again.)”
Puslinch firefighters responded to a fire on June 20 on the Guelph Junction Railway tracks near Carter Road and Cook’s Mill Road. Submitted photo
Dewasha said GJR is not doing enough to prevent these kinds of fires.
“The Guelph Junction Railway (GJR) is well aware of its train catching fires, yet it is not taking effective measures needed to stop them,” she wrote.
“My youngest son now asks me to ‘check for fires’ every time a train passes by, which is quite sad to hear he has developed this anxiety/fear.”
GJR general manager Les Petroczi stated in an email the railway company is in regular communication with the Puslinch Fire Department and Goderich Exeter Railway (GEXR), which as of August 2020, also operates on the GJR line.
They have established a fire safety plan, which includes:
- establishing communication protocols when a fire occurs;
- inspecting locomotives every morning for any carbon build-up as per Transport Canada (TC) and the Canadian Transportation Agency (CTA) regulations;
- installing spark arrestors (a mechanical device that traps or destroys hot exhaust particles released by combustion engines) on GEXR locomotives;
- changing fuel and oil use practices to reduce oil buildup in GEXR locomotives;
- upgrading GEXR locomotive fuel injectors to increase fuel-efficiency;
- installing water tanks along the right of way for use in firefighting (quick response);
- cutting a wider area of brush along the GJR right of way to reduce the risk of fire spreading;
- cleaning up scrap ties (combustibles) along the GJR right of way;
- ongoing vegetation control along the GJR right of way;
- reducing locomotive speeds, weight and power (throttle position) during dry spells;
- completing track patrols (following locomotives) during dry spells; and
- ensuring tracks meet Ministry of Transportation (MTO) and TC regulations.
“The Puslinch Fire Department and GJR are also planning to buy all-terrain vehicles with specialized firefighting equipment for use along the right of way so first responders can drive along the right of way rather than through private property,” Petroczi said.
Dewasha said the community is considering buying firefighting brooms to thwart future fires as local residents are often on scene before firefighters.
