Railcar catches fire

A report of a railcar on fire was reported to the Plumas County Sheriff’s Office at 12:30 a.m. on Thursday, Feb. 27.

Units from the Eastern Plumas Rural Fire Protection District, the Sheriff’s Office and the city of Portola responded to the Union Pacific railroad yard in Portola, with Eastern Plumas Fire responding with one engine and one water tender.

The first unit on scene reported that a wooden railcar next to the Western Pacific Railroad Museum was fully engulfed and burning.

It was determined that no individuals were injured, and the fire was not spreading. Railroad incident command was established by Eastern Plumas Fire, and Beckwourth Fire Department responded to a call for mutual aid with an engine and a water tender.

Volunteers from both agencies worked together to extinguish the fire, which burned for several hours. The cause of the fire is currently under investigation.