Demotion of the former Pere Marquette Railroad Bridge at the mouth of the Black River in Port Huron has been halted for now following a series of fires that broke out Tuesday. The fires were first reported shortly after 11am Tuesday when the Adamo Group, a contractor working for the Port Huron Yacht Club, began cutting sections of of the bridge. Port Huron Fire Chief Corey Nicholson says the fires were likely caused by steel cutting in close proximity to creosote-coated railway ties. Port Huron Director of Planning David Haynes says work on the bridge has ceased until the contractor can submit a combustible materials and fire protection plan. Under a demolition permit issued by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the 92 year old bascule bridge must be removed by the end of April.
