Watch CBS News

Fireworks Light Up The Sky In Commerce After Wooden Railroad Ties Catch Fire

COMMERCE (CBSLA) — An unexpected firework show erupted in the city of Commerce in the middle of the night.

Fireworks shot into the sky at the 1500 block of Burrard Avenue around 3:30 a.m. after used wooden railroad ties somehow caught fire.

fireworks in Commerce
Fireworks in Commerce light up the sky in the middle of the night.

The second-alarm fire prompted evacuations of nearby residents as a precaution.

"I saw the bright lights like everything was lit up, and then I came out and he was all,"'Your home is on fire,'" said homeowner Iris Urquidi.

The flames flew over a wall that Union Pacific had built to help drow-out noise from the railroad track.

According to Union Pacific, the stacked ties were from a discarded project and were due to be removed.

A small box of fireworks was inside a nearby shed that caught fire, sending fireworks high into the sky.

Initially, Metrolink San Bernardino Line train 303 was being held at the Baldwin Park station due to firefighters working to extinguish the fire near the tracks.

No injuries were initially reported.

View CBS News In
CBS News App Open
Chrome Safari Continue
Be the first to know
Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting.