RACETRACK — Several firefighting agencies put out more than a dozen small fires sparked by a train east of Deer Lodge on Tuesday evening (July 23, 2024).
Fire crews quickly put out about 18 small fires along a two-mile stretch of Frontage Road between Deer Lodge and Galen that were caused by sparks coming from the engine of an eastbound train.
Emergency responders were notified by a 911 call just before 5 p.m. of several fires burning along the tracks off the eastbound lane of Interstate 90.
“We were fairly fortunate one of our Deer Lodge Fire Department members has direct communication with the train. He was able to place a call and get this train to slow down. One of my deputies actually stopped the train at Galen,” said Powell County Sheriff Gavin Roselles.
Firefighters were on the scene for more than an hour putting out the fires and no injuries were reported or structures damaged.
