Both lanes of traffic have been reopened after a tanker truck fire on Highway 16 east of Prince George shut down the highway Saturday evening.
Just after 7:30 p.m. Saturday, emergency crews from McBride responded to a report that the tanker truck was on fire near the S-turns on the approach to West Twin Creek Bridge, 28 kilometres west of McBride.
The fire was contained to the truck. The trailer, which was carrying fuel, did not start on fire, according to McBride Volunteer Fire Department chief Dave Hruby.
Hrudy said the blaze appeared to have originated in the truck, which was allowed to burn itself out while the area was evacuated for a two-kilometre radius. No fuel spilled into the creek and a pump truck from Edmonton was called to the scene in case there was a need transfer the fuel in the tanker to another container. But attempts were made to change the connecting lines so the full trailer could be hauled by another truck.
“The front two-thirds of the truck from the sleeper forward was burnt, but the tanker itself was not compromised at all,” said Hruby. “That’s 50,000 litres; I wouldn’t want to be there.”
The driver of the eastbound truck jumped out when he noticed the fire in the cab area and escaped injury, leaving the truck blocking the eastbound lane and part of the other lane. There were no injuries.
“The cab itself caught on fire and he set the brakes and jumped out,” said Hruby.
Emergency crews and personnel from Robson Valley Traffic Control reopened one lae of alternating traffic for most of the day Sunday and by 8 p.m. Sunday the roadway was cleared.
