A day after a trestle bridge near Mayerthorpe was destroyed in a fire, police confirmed the blaze was considered suspicious.
On Wednesday, Mayerthorpe RCMP said the fire on the CN Rail trestle bridge, located on the northwest edge of the town, was being handled as suspicious.
Police said provincial fire investigators, along with CN Rail officials were at the scene and trying to determine what caused the fire to assist the RCMP investigation.
Officials said RCMP were called to the fire on Tuesday, at about 1:20 p.m. – Mayerthorpe RCMP said the bridge fire is the fifth fire they had been called to in the last ten days.
Since the fire was put out, crews have been working on scene cleaning up the mess left by the fire and destruction of the 1,100 foot bridge.
It’s expected crews will be on the scene round the clock, it’s expected to take between three and five weeks to get the train line back in service.
Mayerthorpe Mayor Kate Patrick said it will cost CN Rail about $20 million to rebuild the bridge.
Anyone with information that could help police in their investigations of the fires is asked to call Mayerthorpe RCMP at 780-786-2291.
With files from Michel Boyer
