Bridge fire temporarily shuts down rail traffic over Potomac

Capital fire officials say a blaze on a CSX bridge over the Potomac River has been extinguished and trains are running again after an hours-long delay on the only rail bridge linking the District of Columbia and Virginia.

D.C. fire spokesman Doug Buchanan said the department battled the fire from above and below the Long Bridge after it was reported at about 1:45 p.m. Friday. Two fireboats pulled water from the river to spray the underside of the structure.

CSX shares its century-old bridge with the VRE commuter line and Amtrak passenger trains.

CSX spokesman Rob Doolittle says rail traffic resumed about 4 p.m.