Arizona bridge burns, partially collapses after train derailment near Tempe Town Lake

Ns News Online Desk: A bridge over a lake in Arizona partially collapsed on Wednesday after a freight train derailed and caught fire.

The incident happened just before 6:30 a.m. local time in Tempe, located east of Phoenix. The Tempe Police Department said on Twitter that officers and the Tempe Fire Department were on the scene of a train derailment and “large fire” over Tempe Town Lake.Camille Kimball, who was riding her bike under the bridge before it collapsed, told CBS 5 the noise of the train got extremely loud and as she came off the bridge.

“I turned around to look and got the fright of my life,” she told the television station. “Now there’s fire pouring into the lake from the middle of the bridge. … It’ looks like a scene from hell, truly. A scene from hell. … The flames are intense and the sky is filled with black smoke.”Tempe Fire Medical Rescue told Fox News that no injures were reported due to the derailment and subsequent fire.

Tempe Police Chief Sylvia Moir urged people to avoid the area, tweeting that the scene was “very dangerous.”Valley Metro, who operates the light rail system in the Phoenix area, said due to the incident involving the freight train, Valley Metro trains were prevented from crossing the Tempe Town Lake Bridge.Buses were being arranged to transport passengers through the area. Tempe Town Lake was closed until further notice due to the derailment, according to police.

The 2.5-mile Tempe Town Lake is is a popular recreation spot for jogging, cycling and boating and close to Arizona State University.