Fire at Rigby Yard 08-01-2007

There was some sort of fire at Rigby Yard today around 3:30 PM. Thick blue-gray smoke was visible from Main Street in South Portland. Firefighters from South Portland and Scarborough responded. It appeared to be in the middle of the yard, near the Downeaster bypass track. Couldn't get close enough to see exactly what was going on.

Well, that's one way to get rid of a yard, isn't it?

I'm guessing that it wasn't anything particularly major; the big response from the fire departments was probably more precautionary than anything. The smoke dissipated quickly. I did see a TV cameraman filming on the Route 1 overpass, but didn't see anything on the 6pm or 11pm newscasts. Guess it wasn't big news.

My Dad, a fire fighter in Portland of 33 years, actually had training in Rigby yard some time ago with hazardous fires and things like that. Of course he took advantage of the opportunity and asked questions and such. I think they were annoyed at how much he knew in constrast to themselves.

Good thing South Portland FD's Truck 11 bay is right there at the yard entrance!

Maybe burning it for the insurance money?