Re: TasRail blamed for fire

["Rod [comtrain]" <freight_man@hotmail.com>]

Sounds to me that the farmer had neglected to protect his property with a
grass fire break!
smouldering sleepers do set fire to grass, but it would be unusual for, even
melting brake blocks, to set fire across a properly ploughed fire break!
Farmer was not having financial problems, I'm wondering...sort of a
stock-take? Wools pretty well stuffed, with China not buying, and Japan
still in recession??
Rod
athan <hatsoff@bigstix.com> wrote in message
3A9B8691.A7E6B510@bigstix.com">news:3A9B8691.A7E6B510@bigstix.com...
> One of the worst bushfires in recent times in the Midlands of Tasmania
> has been blamed on sparks being generated from a TasRail freight train.
>
> The fire swept through the prime sheep grazing area over the past few
> days, destroying valuable grazing land, fences, infrastructure and
> livestock.
>
> The area is renowned for the super fine merino wool that regularly
> attracts world class prices in auctions.
>
> One farmer estimates that the damage and destruction of his livestock
> may be in the order of $750 000, and will take at least 5 years to breed
> back into meaningful production.
>
> TasRail are fully cooperating with the Tasmanian Fire Service in their
> investigations.
>
> Aerial shots of the area clearly show the fire starting on one side of
> the line.
>
> More details should be available in tomorrow's edition of the The
> Mercury, Hobart's daily newspaper.
>