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Vancouver Fire At Railway Trestle Closes Oak Street Bridge

Fire That Sent Black Smoke Over Vancouver Bridge Was Suspicious

A huge fire that forced the closure of Vancouver's Oak Street Bridge at rush hour is being called suspicious.

A railway trestle bridge started burning around 5 p.m. on Wednesday, and sent enormous clouds of black smoke into the air. Visibility was so bad for drivers on the nearby Oak Street Bridge, which connects Vancouver with Richmond, that the span had to be shut down for about half an hour.

Firefighters and a Vancouver fireboat got the fire under control quickly, reported CBC News.

The Marpole Bridge, as it's known, is owned by Canadian Pacific Railway. It was built in 1902 and replaced in 1966, according to The Vancouver Sun.

A company spokesman said the bridge is now used by perhaps one train per week, said CKNW. There were no trains at the time of the fire.

Vancouver Fire and Rescue is treating the fire as suspicious.

“We have a fire investigator on scene,” Deputy Chief Brian Godlonton told CTV. “There was a report of people fleeing the scene prior to our arrival.”

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