Arizona bridge burns, partially collapses after train derailment near Tempe Town Lake
Train derails over Tempe Town Lake, part of bridge collapses, It’s not yet known if the derailment and fire caused any injuries
A train derailed and was on fire over Tempe Town Lake on Wednesday morning.
A portion of the bridge over Tempe Beach Park has collapsed, and the train on the bridge over the lake was on fire. Debris was in the water next to the park.
Tempe police and fire crews were on the scene where thick smoke filled the air and planes from nearby Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport were being diverted. Tempe police Chief Sylvia Moir tweeted that there were “no injuries known at this time but the scene is very dangerous. Stay out of Tempe Town Lake and away from the area.”
Roads were restricted near Town Lake and west of downtown.
Valley Metro was rerouting light rail at Mill Avenue and Third Street and 50th and Washington streets. Buses were being assembled to ferry passengers around the incident, according to Valley Metro.
Aerial images showed the fire continuing to burn as first responders arrived at the scene.
A train bridge partially collapsed after a derailment and fire in Tempe, Ariz. on July 29, 2020.
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It’s not clear what the train was carrying, but lumber could be seen in the water below.
A train bridge partially collapsed after a derailment and fire in Tempe, Ariz. on July 29, 2020. (FOX10)
Camille Kimball, who was riding her bike under the bridge before it collapsed, the noise of the train got extremely loud and as she came off the bridge.
“I turned around to look and got the fright of my life,” she told the television station. “Now there’s fire pouring into the lake from the middle of the bridge. … It’ looks like a scene from hell, truly. A scene from hell. … The flames are intense and the sky is filled with black smoke.”
A train bridge partially collapsed after a derailment and fire in Tempe, Ariz. on July 29, 2020. (FOX10)
It’s not yet known if any injuries have been reported due to the derailment and subsequent fire.
Valley Metro, who operates the light rail system in the Phoenix area, said due to the incident involving the freight train, Valley Metro trains were prevented from crossing the Tempe Town Lake Bridge.
