Officials: Norfolk Southern rail car which appeared to catch fire in Beloit was actually a hot wheel bearing

A report of a Saturday night fire on a Norfolk Southern rail car in Beloit was contained by area fire departments.

The Beloit Fire Department said in a Saturday night Facebook post that Norfolk Southern notified the department a reported fire, but dispatchers weren’t immediately told what was in the rail car.

Several departments from Mahoning County and Columbiana County as well as the Mahoning County Hazmat Team responded and found the rail car in Sebring, reports indicated, adding the car contained gravel and sustained a hot wheel bearing instead of a fire.

“It was called into us as a fire,” Norfolk Southern Senior Communications Manager Connor Spielmaker said. “We stopped the train while notifying local authorities, and upon inspection there was no fire.”

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This story was originally published August 6, 2023 at 7:54 AM.