Large fire engulfs inactive rail bridge next to the Oak Street Bridge
Posted June 20, 2024 8:35 pm.
Last Updated June 21, 2024 7:35 am.
An inactive rail bridge connecting Richmond and Vancouver caught fire Thursday evening forcing the temporary closure of the neighbouring Oak Street Bridge.
“Richmond fire crews are on scene of a large industrial fire adjacent to the River Rock Casino,” Richmond Fire-Rescue Assistant Deputy Chief Grant Wyenberg told CityNews shortly after 10 p.m.
“Crews have extinguished the warehouse portion of the fire and are working to extinguish the trestle bridge that runs across the north arm of the Fraser River. Investigators have not yet begun their investigation.”
Metro Vancouver issued an air quality bulletin due to the smoke.
“The fire is expected to be burning through Thursday night and into Friday,” Metro Vancouver said at the time.
Calls to the CityNews 1130 newsroom began flooding in shortly after the fire ignited, with several people reporting seeing the smoke relating to the blaze.
One caller described his experience trying to get through the plume of smoke.
“I got onto the bridge and traffic was stopped,” the caller said.
“Buses couldn’t go through the smoke. We ended up driving through it, but you literally couldn’t see two feet ahead of you, and we had to follow the white lines to get through.”
CityNews has reached out to the RCMP for more information.
The fire affected traffic in all directions near the bridge. The Arthur Laing and Knight Street Bridges experienced heavy delays.
As well, expect delays around Bridgeport Road. The Oak Street Bridge reopened to traffic Friday morning.
E-Comm 9-1-1 has asked that people stop calling 911 to report the blaze.
On Friday morning, the fire was still smoldering, sending small plumes of smoke into the air. Debris from the bridge could be seen in the water near a marina.
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