What's Burning In South Jersey? Series Of Fires Emerge Along Railroad Tracks

GLOUCESTER COUNTY, NJ — Multiple brush fires burned along Conrail's train tracks in South Jersey, sparking a massive firefighting response and creating lingering traffic issues on Thursday, officials said.

The brush fires were caused by sparks created when a cargo train's brake line locked up in Wenonah, Gloucester County, officials said. They continued along the rail line until the train stopped in Clayton, which is about 10 miles south.

The fires have been extinguished as of 3 p.m., according to the Gloucester County Office of Emergency Management.

But traffic remained "extremely heavy" because of the incident and ensuing road closures as of that time, the office said.

Firefighters and hazmat teams brought an especially heavy response to a commercial structure in Pitman with hazardous materials. Crews prevented the release of any hazardous substances from the site, officials said.

The fires burned along the Vineland Secondary — a 37-mile freight-train line that runs from Camden to Vineland.

Conrail — the company that owns and operates the rail line — did not immediately return comment to Patch.

Several fires burned along the tracks on the west side of Glassboro, where crews continue to address hot spots as of Thursday afternoon, according to borough police.

Traffic issues extended beyond the fire area. In Gloucester City, all railroad crossings were blocked because of the incident, police said. The intersections in the city have since reopened.

Fires have broken out along Conrail's tracks in the region multiple times in recent years. Last April, a Conrail train sparked more than 20 wildfires along a 10-mile stretch in Winslow Township, officials said. In 2021, several brush fires burned along the company's tracks in Philadelphia.