Trains stopped after rail bridge catches fire southeast of Merced

All trains on the Union Pacific rail line southeast of Merced have stopped after the Duck Slough Bridge caught fire Thursday afternoon, California Highway Patrol and fire officials said.

CHP received a call of a brush fire near the bridge, north of the tracks at 4:05 p.m., Officer Eric Zuniga said.

“As of now, train services are going to be halted until further notice,” Zuniga said, adding that rail authorities are determining the cause of the fire.

State Department of Forestry and Fire Protection of Merced County units were continuing to put out smoldering wood billowing smoke from the trestle bridge holding up the tracks an hour after the fire spread.

Fire apparatus engineer Andy McMurry said the fire started off of Doppler Road, which sits between the railroad and Highway 99.

Zuniga said traffic was closed for a 2.5-mile stretch of Doppler Road between Healy Road and Lingard Road.

Justin Jacobs, a director of media relations with Union Pacific, said the grass fire spread to the tracks and impacted the trestle of the rail bridge.

“First responders and everybody are working to get the fire under control,” Jacobs said. “We have personnel on scene ... to make things safe and check out the trestle.”

Jacobs said there were a few trains in the area, but they weren’t affected by the fire. There was no timetable on when trains may start running again.

This story was originally published July 6, 2017 at 6:23 PM with the headline "Trains stopped after rail bridge catches fire southeast of Merced."