Lawsuit Alleges Union Pacific Sparks 3,700-Acre Rowena Fire Displacing 1,500 in Oregon

A lawsuit has been filed against Union Pacific Railroad by Wasco County residents Ramon Garza Nino and Maria Carrera, alleging that a Union Pacific freight train started the Rowena Fire on June 11, which destroyed over 50 homes and nearly 100 structures in the Columbia River Gorge. The plaintiffs claim sparks from a braking train ignited dry brush near the tracks during Red Flag Warning conditions, accusing Union Pacific of negligence related to train maintenance, vegetation management, and fire prevention measures. Gerald Singleton, a leading fire litigation attorney from the California-based firm Singleton Schreiber, is representing the couple and has conducted investigations including witness interviews and reviewing social media posts; his firm has previously represented wildfire victims in Oregon and Washington. Union Pacific is conducting an internal investigation and cooperating with the Oregon Department of Forestry, which is still actively investigating the fire's cause. The fire rapidly spread across approximately 3,700 acres, causing an estimated $9 million in damages and displacing 1,500 residents. Plaintiffs seek damages based on property loss and economic impact under Oregon law, while the railroad maintains no conclusive evidence currently links their equipment to the fire.