"Train fire" turns out to be old railway ties

The cause has not been determined

A fire reported on social media as a "train fire" Friday night turned out to be a large pile of decommissioned railway ties ablaze near the tracks at Avery Beach in Huntsville.

Around 9:00 p.m. on May 9, 2025, the Huntsville/Lake of Bays Fire Department responded to reports of a grass fire near Yonge Street North. Crews from Station 1 Huntsville — including 11 firefighters and 4 trucks — arrived to find the wooden ties fully engulfed in flames beside multiple rail cars.

While the proximity to the train led to early speculation online, the cars were carrying non-combustible, non-hazardous materials and were not damaged. CN Rail was immediately notified and stopped train traffic through the area.

Firefighters used water from a nearby hydrant to suppress the blaze until heavy equipment arrived to help dismantle the burning pile. No structures were affected and no injuries were reported, but the railway was shut down for several hours while crews worked to fully extinguish the fire.

The cause remains undetermined. Anyone with information is asked to contact the Huntsville/Lake of Bays Fire Department at 705-789-5201.