NIPIGON, Ont. – The driver of a tractor trailer that caught on fire on Highway 17 near Nipigon on Friday escaped the situation without injuries, police report.
The incident resulted in both eastbound lanes of the highway being blocked for about an hour near Golf Course Road, about 10 kilometres west of Nipigon.
One lane of eastbound traffic remained closed in the early afternoon as cleanup proceeded.
Ontario Provincial Police received a call about the vehicle fire at 11:22 a.m., said Detective Constable Mitch Brennen.
In a video taken by a motorist, firefighters are seen responding to the flaming vehicle.
The trailer of the truck caught fire while headed eastbound on Highway 17, police said in a release. The driver was able to stop and disconnect the trailer before it spread to the truck’s cab. No other vehicles were involved in the incident.
The trailer and its contents were a total loss, according to police.
Firefighters from the Red Rock, Nipigon, Lake Helen, and Hurkett volunteer fire departments responded and extinguished the fire, said Brennen.
No charges were expected in relation to the fire.
Note: An earlier version of this story incorrectly identified Golf Course Road as being east of Nipigon. In fact, it is about 10 kilometres west of Nipigon. TBNewswatch regrets the error.
