MARION COUNTY, FL (352today.com) – A timeline of events leading up to the Dunnellon railroad ties fire that occurred on Sunday, Feb. 1, 2026, was provided at the Marion County Board of County Commissioners meeting on Tuesday, Feb. 3, 2026.
The timeline was collected from information from county code enforcement cases which included a Dunnellon code case, Florida Department of Environmental Protection portal documents, and the county’s attorney office. The timeline was presented by Linda Blacburn, Marion County attorney’s office.
Dunnellon railroad ties timeline:
- Aug. 29, 2025 – FDEP receives air construction pollution permit, application from Track Line Rail, a contractor for CSX.
- Sept. 3, 2025 – Air permit processing fee paid, application complete.
- Oct. 2, 2025 – FDEP preliminary determination report.
- Oct. 3, 2025 – FDEP issued draft permit package.
- Oct. 24, 2025 – County investigates property in response to code complaint and issued violations.
- Oct. 27, 2025 – City of Dunnellon holds an emergency meeting and issues city notices of violations.
- Oct. 29, 2025 – County code enforcement contacts CSX requesting access to property.
- Nov. 5, 2025 – County code call with the Florida Northern Railroad property manager.
- Nov. 6, 2025 – County issued a second code enforcement violations.
- Nov. 7, 2025 – County call with general manager from Florida Northern Railroad.
- Nov. 11, 2025 – County conference call with general manager from Florida Northern Railroad.
- Dec. 4, 2025 – County attorney call with CSX general counsel.
- Dec. 10, 2025 – CSX emails and confirms that Track Line Rail will remove railroad ties and CSX will provide rail cars.
- Dec. 17, 2025 – Concerned resident confirms railway cars onsite.
- Dec. 29, 2025 – Concerned resident confirms rail cars are gone, railroad ties are moved to city property per county code officer.
- Jan. 5, 2026 – County attorney emails CSX to confirm railway cars onsite, but nothing removed from site.
- Jan. 6, 2026 – County attorney and CSX call confirmed additional rail cars sent but no date of completion given.
- Jan. 14, 2026 – County code attends City of Dunnellon code board meeting.
- Jan. 15, 2026 – County attorney contacted CSX, requested FDEP contact, advised CSX of Dunnellon position and reiterated the need for a form removal deadline; CSX could not commit.
- Jan. 20, 2026 – County code did site inspection, noted no rail ties being burned and none had been removed.
- Jan. 22, 2026 – County attorney and CSX call with repeated request for FDEP contact and removal deadline, no commitment given.
- Jan. 27, 2026 – FDEP requests more information from Track Line Rail, LLC contractor to determine need of an industrial wastewater permit.
- Feb. 1, 2026 – Railroad ties fire occurs in early morning hours.
- Feb. 2, 2026 – County code enforcement inspects property; no changes to railroad ties.
Dunnellon code enforcement told county code enforcement that 16,500 ties have been removed by rail car and 1,200 by truck. The rail cars were due to come back this week, but damage to the tracks may cause issues for their return.
