Freight train box car catches fire near Highway 132 in Modesto. Investigation underway
A box car on a freight train caught fire early Tuesday morning, closing a part of Yosemite Boulevard in Modesto, said Chief Scott Burke of the Stanislaus Consolidated Fire District.
Firefighters were called to a “cart fire” at about 5:50 a.m. and may have mistaken the call for a burning shopping cart, Burke said. However, when Quint 22 arrived, the crew found a box car on a freight train aflame near the intersection of Highway 132 and Creekwood Drive.
Quint 22 called in backup, drawing two engines and a battalion chief. It took about 20 minutes to knock down. But, insulation inside the car — which was empty of cargo — burned for nearly an hour and a half. Highway 132 was closed in both directions for almost two hours, according to Burke.
Burke said the rail cars were not blocking any roads and the train had been parked when it caught fire.
Investigators are working to determine the cause of the fire. No one was injured.
