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SATURDAY December 6, 2003 - Subscribe - Contact Us Valley&State Backpage O&E Sports Archives Classifieds Faith&Beliefs Obituaries Revels November 20, 2003 Tunnel fire nearly out as crews get ready to clear out debris By Bill Choy Ashland Daily Tidings Railroad officials breathed a collective sigh of relief after it appeared the Tunnel 13 fire was mostly extinguished. Dan Lovelady, general manager of Central Oregon and Pacific Railroad Co. in Roseburg said this morning crews noticed a change in the smoke coming out of the tunnel on Wednesday afternoon. "We think it's pretty much out," he said. "It's now mainly black smoke." The tunnel, famous for a bank robbery that killed four people in 1923, caught on fire Monday morning on the Siskiyou Summit, leading to a partial collapse of the tunnel. Workers recently discovered that the tunnel, originally built in the 1880s, had a fire break built inside - with steel mixed into the wooden frames of the tunnel structure, Lovelady said. "It's a planned thing so fires like this wouldn't go further," he said. Mining and engineering crews plan to go into the 3,105 foot tunnel as soon as possible and will begin excavating debris. "Construction crews will try to clear the debris and go in and rebuild the tunnel as they go," Lovelady said. Crews will put up steel as they go in, and will get rid of burned joints coated with creosote. Parts of the railroad track that buckled and expanded during the fire will be replaced railroad officials said. The blaze was reported shortly after 7 a.m. Monday. Fire and excavation crews were unable to get to the fire due to concerns that other parts of the partially collapsed tunnel could fall. Investigators believe the blaze was started by transients or trespassers. Crews have gone about 1,200 feet into the tunnel at the south end, but didn't go any further because of poor air conditions, railroad officials said. A fan has been installed about 1,000 feet in front of the south end to improve circulation. The tunnel appeared to have collapsed about 60 feet from the north opening. Trains are currently being diverted to other lines, railroad officials said. DailyTidings.com Home Page Valley&State | Backpage | O&E | Sports | Archives | Weather | Classifieds Columnists | Faith&Beliefs | Obituaries | Revels | Subscribe | Contact Us Copyright 2003 Ashland Daily Tidings and Ottaway Newspapers All Rights Reserved Site Search: .:Advertisements:. RESOURCES - Road Cams