Firefighters in the Lower Mainland were put to work Thursday night after an old rail bridge over the Fraser River went up in flames.
The inactive wooden trestle bridge near the River Rock Casino, right next to the Oak Street Bridge between Richmond and Vancouver, caught fire shortly before 9 pm.
The blaze sent a massive plume of black smoke into the air, which could be seen from around the Lower Mainland.
It reportedly began in an empty loading bay and private dock off River Drive, on the Richmond side, before spreading to the bridge.
Fire crews responded to the incident both on ground and via boat.
The fire resulted in the closure of the Oak Street Bridge for several hours as firefighters battled the blaze late into the night.
It also prompted an air quality bulletin from the Metro Vancouver Regional District (MVRD) for the area.
Shortly after 6 am Friday, the MVRD announced that the fire had been extinguished and officials would be reviewing air quality information and updating the bulletin when appropriate.
Video of the rail bridge fire submitted to @GlobalBC #RichmondBC pic.twitter.com/nEZ77xtSkK
— Jordan Armstrong (@jarmstrongbc) June 21, 2024
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