Mt. Rainier Scenic Railroad trestle bridge arson investigation remains open, though railroad staff fear ‘case has gone cold’

While the Lewis County Sheriff’s Office still has an active arson investigation into the April 30 fire that destroyed the Mt. Rainier Scenic Railroad (MRSR) trestle bridge between Morton and Mineral, the investigation has produced no recent leads.

“The most recent word we’ve received is that there have been no new developments. We fear the case has gone cold,” the MRSR stated in a Facebook post earlier this month. “We’ve also seen connected patterns of threats against the railroad and our staff, as well as trestle arsons in other parts of the Pacific Northwest.”

While the cause of the wildfire that damaged the Vance Creek trestle in Mason County at the beginning of August has not been announced — two juvenile suspects have been arrested and charged with arson in connection with with fire that destroyed the Newberg Trestle Bridge in Newberg, Oregon, on June 28, according to KATU2 ABC.

Local law enforcement officials say the juveniles broke into a church storage shed and stole gasoline, which they used to start a fire near the trestle.

“If you know something, please say something to us info@wfim.org, (or) to the Lewis County Sheriff’s Office,” the MRSR added.

Investigators suspect arson, as the fire which destroyed the MRSR trestle came just hours after MRSR staff finalized the purchase of both the trestle and rail line between Morton and Mineral from Tacoma Rail.

To submit a tip to the Lewis County Sheriff’s Office, call the sheriff’s office non-emergency line at 360-740-1105.
As for cleanup efforts, MRSR announced they have completed removal of the remaining damaged timber and rail lines from the fire. The materials are now being processed for proper disposal.

Additionally, MRSR is still partnering with the Western Forest Industries Museum (WFIM), which is leading fundraising efforts to pay for the cleanup and reconstruction of the trestle at its website, https://www.wfim.org/bridgethegap.
As of Friday, Sept. 26, the gofundme effort had raised $220,950, with a goal of $250,000. To donate, visit https://gofund.me/c86971b39.

For more information, visit the MRSR Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/MtRainierRailroad.