Train fire at Ki Ki
A freight train locomotive worth $3 million was destroyed by fire as it hauled its load of cargo on the Adelaide to Melbourne line today.
Two locomotives operated by Pacific National were hauling the carriages near Ki Ki in the state’s Upper South-East towards Adelaide when the second engine caught fire about 5.15am.
The drivers managed to unhook the lead locomotive as the second diesel electric engine was gutted by the fire.
Fifteen Country Fire Service volunteers in three appliances took about one hour to put out the fire.
The firefighters prevented the fire spreading to the thousands of litres of diesel in the fuel tanks of the engine.
The line was blocked for about five hours and the Overland from Adelaide-to-Melbourne was delayed.
