An arson fire early Sunday at a Biddle Street building in Kane
caused ,1 million in damage and severely burned two locomotives
that were once used for Kinzua Bridge State Park tourist trips.
Investigators found that someone forcibly entered a warehouse
about 2:15 a.m. and set it on fire, according to a press release
issued by Kane-based state police.
No injuries were reported, officials said.
The building contained two steam locomotives owned by B. Sloan
Cornell of Marienville – one a diesel locomotive and the other a
luxury dining car built in the 1890s and restored in the 1930s,
police said. The structure, whose owner was not immediately clear,
also held numerous locomotive parts and railroad-related
equipment.
The metal structure was a one-story, 44 foot-by-160 foot
railroad car storage building, police said. It suffered heavy
damage, as did the two trains, according to Kane Volunteer Fire
Department Chief Art Brechtel. He was unsure if the trains were a
total loss.
Upon arrival, fire crews found heavy smoke and flames coming
from the warehouse, Brechtel accounted.
“Crews did a good job on the initial knockdown of the fire,” he
said.
Firefighters came back to the scene at 9:57 a.m. when the fire
rekindled, though Brechtel called it nothing serious.
Mount Jewett, Highland Township, Sheffield, Ludlow, Kane, Hamlin
Township, Wilcox and Ridgway volunteer firefighters all responded
to the scene. Cpl. Thomas E. Josephson, a state police fire
marshal, worked with Kane Volunteer Fire Department and Kane
Borough Police in the investigation. A police dog even joined the
response.
Kane Borough Police will continue the investigation.
The affected trains once provided tourists with a trip from
Marienville, with a stop in Kane to pick up passengers, to Kinzua
Bridge and through nearby forestland. After 17 years, Knox &
Kane Railroad, also owned by Cornell, stopped offering scenic train
rides to the park due to a lack of interest following the Kinzua
Bridge’s fall.
Kinzua Bridge, located in Mount Jewett, was hammered by a
tornado July 21, 2003, resulting in the loss of 11 support towers.
The internationally recognized viaduct was constructed in 1882,
“the longest and highest railroad bridge in the world” upon its
completion, according to www.kinzuabridge.com.
The potential loss of the trains would be another blow to
ongoing Kinzua Bridge State Park restoration processes, according
to Mary Ann Burggraf, executive director of the Kinzua Bridge
Foundation.
“Any negative event that takes place is a detriment to the park
… whether its the development (efforts) or anything (else),” she
said.
It is unclear if the trains were going to be used at the park
again. However, talk of running the train from Kane to Mount Jewett
had come up recently.
“We’re in support of it,” Burggraf said.
John Hafer, who takes care of the trains for Cornell, his
grandfather, confirmed the idea had been contemplated, though
Sunday’s fire has brought any action to a standstill.
“A lot of things changed after this morning,” he said.
A message left seeking comment from Bill Kilmer and Debbie
Lunden, who are both involved with the Kinzua Bridge Foundation,
were not immediately returned Sunday night. Meanwhile, an e-mail
seeking comment from Allegheny National Forest Vacation Bureau
Executive Director Linda Devlin also wasn’t immediately
returned.
