Dateline Fairfield August 7th 2009   Fairfield CT: On Friday August 7, 2009 at 1553 hrs. the Fairfield Fire Department responded to a report of a train on fire at the north side of the Fairfield Train Station, 205 Unquowa Road, Fairfield CT.  An AMR ambulance crew reported the fire.  They observed heavy smoke and fire coming from the roof of the locomotive as the train pull past the train platform on the NY bound side of the tracks.  Fairfield Fire Department Engine 1, 2, 3, 4, Ladder 2, Rescue 1, and Car 3 responded. 

Rescue 1 arrived on scene and reported heavy smoke and fire coming from the roof of the locomotive car on the front of a southbound passenger train.  The train was operated by the Connecticut DOT and contained no passengers at the time of the fire. The conductor told firefighters that he was in the locomotive when it began filling with smoke.  He brought the train to a stop just past the station platform and attempted to shut down the train’s diesel engine using the emergency control.  The emergency shut down control switch did not work.  According to metro north mechanics, the fire originated in the engine turbo charger and burned through the emergency control wiring, disabling the switch. The ceiling of the car, the turbo charge unit, and diesel fuel was burning inside the car.

Fire fighters using full turn out gear and breathing apparatus entered the locomotive section of and extinguished the main body of the fire with dry chemical fire extinguishers. Metro North mechanics assisted firefighters with shutting down the diesel engine.  Metro North Police and Emergency Crews worked closely with Fairfield Fire Fighters to coordinate the shut down of tracks 3 and 1 on the NY Bound line.  Electrical power and train service was shut down for approximately 30 minutes on the southbound NY line while firefighters completed the extinguishment of the fire. Service was restored at approximately 5:00PM. No injuries were reported.