Train fire in Gardner destroys new cars

Tuesday

GARDNER - An early morning fire destroyed a train car filled with new automobiles on the railroad tracks above Timpany Boulevard.

When firefighters arrived at just after 12:30 a.m. they found one car of the Pan Am Railways freight train in flames. Residents reported hearing multiple explosions.

The car was just west of the bridge over Timpany Boulevard next to the Route 2 rotary, forcing police to close the rotary and parts of Main Street for much of the early morning.

"We found this what we call an auto rack loaded with new vehicles totally on fire," said Gardner Fire Chief Richard Ares. "There was fire coming out of everywhere on it."

With the car sealed for transport, firefighters used two water guns from the extension ladders of tower trucks to fight the fire from the outside.

"Once we had the fire knocked down, which took a fair amount of time, we used saws to open up the side of the car to finish extinguishing the vehicles inside," Chief Ares explained.

No one was injured in the fire, which was brought under control with the help of firefighters from Ashburnham, Hubbardston, Templeton, Westminster and Winchendon. The road was reopened just after 7 a.m.