KNOX COUNTY, Tenn. — Rural Metro Fire Department said crews are "mopping up" several small brush fires in North Knox County sparked by a "rail grinder train."
Shortly after 3 p.m. on Thursday, 911 started getting calls about smoke and small brush fires in the area of Beaver Creek Drive along the railroad tracks, according to Jeff Bagwell with Rural Metro Fire Department.
He said a Norfolk Southern track repair crew was using a “rail grinder train” to repair the tracks along the rails between W. Beaver Creek Drive and Bull Run Valley Road in north Knox County.
The train is supposed to have a water spray that prevents sparks from the grinding process from starting fires, but the one on this train had malfunctioned starting several small brush fires along the tracks, according to officials.
Rural Metro said it is currently "mopping up" the small fires, while the train crew is investigating what is wrong with the water source.
