Locomotive Fire, Wrecking Yard Blaze Draw Bend Firefighters
Bend Fire & Rescue says no injuries were reported in the BNSF locomotive fire, while one employee was treated for a minor injury after a separate wrecking yard fire.
BEND, Ore. — Bend firefighters responded to two fires this week, including a fire on a BNSF locomotive south of town and a separate vehicle fire at an auto wrecking yard north of the city.
Bend Fire & Rescue said both fires were brought under control quickly. No injuries were reported in the train fire. One employee was treated at the scene for a minor injury after the wrecking yard fire.
The locomotive fire was reported around 3:15 p.m. Tuesday, June 2, just south of Baker Road near Deschutes River Woods. Bend Fire & Rescue said 911 callers from Morningstar School and BNSF reported fire coming from the lead locomotive.
Crews arrived to find smoke and flames coming from the top of the locomotive, where the braking system is housed. Firefighters used fire extinguishers and water to quickly put out the fire.
The train crew had been traveling north on BNSF’s line from Klamath Falls when they felt a jolt before seeing smoke. According to Bend Fire & Rescue, the crew stopped the train before it entered town, preventing blocked traffic lanes and reducing the risk of a brush fire.
The train came to rest in an area where previous wildfire mitigation work had created a fire break near Deschutes River Woods. Bend Fire & Rescue said no cargo or other locomotives were threatened.
BNSF stopped north and south rail traffic in the area until the damaged locomotive could be removed and the train could be moved to a central Bend staging yard. Cheyenne Road was also closed for a time while firefighting hoses were deployed.
Bend Fire & Rescue said the incident highlighted the importance of prior fuels reduction work near Deschutes River Woods. A 2024 Oregon State Fire Marshal grant helped reduce vegetation around the subdivision, including mowing open areas along both sides of the railroad tracks. The cleared area gave firefighters a safer place to work and helped reduce the chance that fire could spread toward the neighborhood.
A vehicle burns at an auto wrecking yard north of Bend on Wednesday, June 3. Bend Fire & Rescue said the accidental fire spread to a tire pile and nearby grass before crews knocked it down. Photo courtesy Bend Fire & Rescue.
A second fire was reported at 9:43 a.m. Wednesday, June 3, at B&R Auto Wrecking on Highway 97 north of Bend.
Multiple 911 callers reported a vehicle on fire at the wrecking yard next to the main building. Employees were able to move two burning vehicles away from the building before firefighters arrived, helping keep the fire from spreading to the structure.
Responders found two vehicles on fire, with flames spreading to a nearby tire pile and grass along the southern property line bordering Four Seasons Mobile Home Park. Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office deputies and first-arriving firefighters stopped the grass fire from spreading, while additional engines knocked down the main fire within about 10 minutes.
Bend Fire & Rescue said the fire was accidental. Investigators determined it started while staff were dismantling a vehicle before crushing it. As the gas tank was being drained for fuel disposal, a spark from an electric tool ignited fumes and started the vehicle and nearby material on fire.
The fire spread to a pile of about 50 tires, creating a large plume of black smoke visible from the north end of Bend. Bend Fire & Rescue said the only losses were two vehicles bound for crushing and the tire pile.
The agency said the wrecking yard’s compliance with state rules and annual inspections helped keep the fire contained. Storage separation kept larger amounts of oil, coolant and gasoline far enough from the fire to prevent them from becoming involved.
Cover image: Firefighters respond to a fire on a BNSF locomotive south of Baker Road near Deschutes River Woods on Tuesday, June 2. Bend Fire & Rescue said the train crew stopped before entering town, and no injuries were reported. Photo courtesy Bend Fire & Rescue.
