Routine maintenance led to small fires that had to be extinguished by town firefighters, officials said.
Routine railroad maintenance led to a series of small, smoldering fires that had to be extinguished Monday afternoon in Phillipsburg.
Norfolk Southern was using a rail grinder, a piece of equipment that helps extend the life of the rails, in the area, spokeswoman Susan Terpay said.
Personnel with the railroad company were monitoring the situation, she said.
The Phillipsburg Fire Department was called about 3:30 p.m. to investigate the smoke in the area of Joe's Steak Shop, 274 S. Main St., according to Warren County dispatch records.
Off-roading on train tracks leads to death
Firefighters carrying extinguishers put out a number of the fires from the area of the Easton-Phillipsburg free bridge east to Stockton Street, town fire Chief Rich Hay said.
Normally, the rail grinder is trailed by a water car that wets the track to prevent fires such as these, but the water car was malfunctioning as the maintenance was done in town, Hay said.
The firefighters' effort came amid a record-tying high of 92 degrees Monday in the Lehigh Valley region.
"It's hot for everybody," Hay said.
Kurt Bresswein may be reached at kbresswein@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow him on Twitter @KurtBresswein. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook.