Flaming railroad trestle west of Tri-Cities burns and collapses

A wooden railroad trestle west of the Tri-Cities was among the casualties of the Labor Day fires that burned through the Lower Yakima Valley.

The trestle leading to the bridge that spans the Yakima River burned and collapsed Monday night in a dramatic light show.

The fiery event was captured in photos and videos by neighbors and drivers on the Old Inland Empire (OIE) highway, including reader Brian Stott who farms in the area.

Stott told the Herald he and others were helping lead fire crews to hot spots in the area. He said firefighters were so busy trying to protect homes from burning that they could not fight the trestle fire.

The trestle is on Gibbon Road at Whitstran, Wash., about four miles east of Prosser and 10 miles west of Benton City.

All that remained on Tuesday was a still smoldering pile of scorched timbers.

Fire officials have not said what sparked the fire that was fanned by strong winds, causing some highway closures in the Yakima Valley.

At least one home was destroyed and others damaged by fire in the Prosser area late Monday, though it’s unclear if it was the same blaze.

This story was originally published September 8, 2020 at 7:38 PM.