Firefighters from the Menlo Park Fire Protection District responded in force Sept. 19 to a grass fire along the Caltrain railroad tracks in east Menlo Park that set alight stacks of lumber in an industrial parking lot.
The fire moved quickly due to high winds and burned along the backside of Hamilton Avenue to Madera Avenue, where it began to spread to piles of lumber stored behind a wood trim shop, Menlo Park Fire District Chief Harold Schapelhouman reported.
The fire closed six city blocks along Hamilton Avenue while fire crews cleared the scene, he said.
After they doused the grass fire, firefighters concentrated on hosing down and keeping cool the piles of lumber until a military-issue forklift — capable of lifting 15 tons — removed the non-burning stacks on top so firefighters could get to the burning wood underneath.
Such a fast-burning fire might have been prevented if officials had cleared the vegetation surrounding the abandoned train tracks, Chief Schapelhouman said.
No structures were damaged, though one business with a propane tank behind its building was threatened before firefighters secured the scene.
One firefighter sustained minor injuries when a piece of equipment was blown over and struck him, according to Chief Schapelhouman.
Bay City News Service contributed to this report.
