Large Revere brush fire stalls trains

REVERE – A large brush fire broke out in the marshes between Oak Island and Revere Street Thursday along the MBTA Commuter Rail tracks, bringing trains to a complete halt for about two hours.All apparatus of the Revere Fire Department was called at about 6 p.m. to fight the flames, with a Malden engine joining moments later. Firefighters from nearby cities manned the fire stations.”It’s so far out that it’s difficult to get hose lines out there,” Deputy Fire Chief Robert Eydenberg said.Firefighters drove engines closer to the flames and used brooms and water cans to douse the fire, he said.A firefighter at the Freeman Street fire station was the first to notice smoke from the marsh.Much of the flames were located along the railroad tracks, Eydenberg said.A cause had not been determined Thursday night, but Eydenberg said it could be sparks from the train, a tossed cigarette or several other scenarios.Large brush fires were also reported in Lincoln and North Reading on Thursday as temperatures climbed into the 70s.