Circus Train Catches Fire in Lacoochee

A circus train carrying equipment kept Pasco County firefighters busy Wednesday afternoon when a tractor it was carrying went up in flames.

The incident happened around 2:55 p.m. in the area along Pine Products Road and New Haven Drive, according to Pasco County spokesman Doug Tobin.

The 40-car train is associated with James E. Strates Shows out of Orlando. No animals were on board at the time of the fire, Tobin said in an email to media. Instead, the cars were carrying equipment for the show, including the tractor that went up in flames.

When fire crews arrived, the tractor that was on a flatbed car was fully engulfed. Pasco County Fire Rescue was able to put it out rather quickly, Tobin noted. No injuries were reported.

The same train car caught fire earlier Wednesday morning in Bushnell, Tobin said.

James E. Strates Shows bills itself as “America’s only railroad carnival,” according to its website. The show travels the country seven months a year, transporting personnel and equipment between 61 rail cars and 34 trucks. The show is home to some 400 employees and families. The show dates back to 1923.

Photo courtesy of Pasco County