Help Arrives for Passengers Stranded by Amtrak Fire

LAKE FOREST, Calif. -- A fire inside an Amtrak locomotive Tuesday left passengers in five passenger cars temporarily sidelined, until another engine brought up from San Diego pushed to the train to its destination at Union Station in Los Angeles, a company spokeswoman said.

The Pacific Surfliner left San Diego at noon bound for Anaheim, Fullerton and Los Angeles, said Amtrak spokeswoman Vernae Graham.

The fire was reported at 12:45 p.m., after the train had left the San Juan Capistrano station, she said.

An employee used a fire extinguisher but the engine was still burning when Orange County Fire Authority firefighters arrived and doused the flames, said Orange County Fire Authority Capt. Greg McKeown.

None of the passengers were taken off the train, and there were no injuries, McKeown said.

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