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Train cars from "The Greatest Show on Earth" have caught fire in North Carolina.
According to WRAL, several train cars from the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus were burning in Nash County, though the cause of the fire is unknown. The fire was reported around 7 a.m. Thursday (March 10), and by 8 a.m., at least four of the circus train cars were either on fire or badly burned.
Firefighters from multiple agencies as well as the Nash County Sheriff's Office and North Carolina Department of Transportation responded to the scene. Fire officials are making efforts to douse the fire as the railroad cars are only 4,000 feet from the Spring Hope town limits.
The cause of the fire is under investigation. As of noon Thursday, it is unclear whether the fire was started intentionally or if it was accidental.
According to the Associated Press, the NCDOT purchased the train cars shortly after the Ringling Bros. last performance in 2017 for a total of $383,000. The plan was to refurbish them for passenger service but they were ultimately put up for auction.
"These cars have a great and amazing history," Jason Orthner, director of the NCDOT rail division, said in 2020. The cars were placed on the state's surplus website with prices ranging from $9,000 to $200,000.