Bridge glows orange in stunning but destructive fire

A deliberately lit fire made the beams supporting a wooden railway bridge glow bright orange in Canada yesterday afternoon.

The complex frame of the trestle bridge on the outskirts of Mayerthorpe in Alberta quickly caught fire, sending black plumes of smoke into the air.

"There were some witnesses that indicated people were in the area at the time of the fire," local fire chief Randy Schroeder said.

Four fire departments were brought in to douse the blaze, but planes dropping fire retardant and a helicopter dropping water were unable to save the bridge.

Residents at a caravan park and students at two schools were evacuated because of the heavy smoke, CTV Edmonton reports.

The Royal Canadian Mounted Police are now investigating the cause of the fire, which is believed to have begun underneath the bridge itself.