Motorists on Highway 97 just north of the Cottonwood Bridge had to halt on the road, Monday morning (Feb. 5).
A black plume of smoke signalled the disruption long before they got there.
According to Sgt. Clay Kronebusch of the Quesnel RCMP, the incident happened just after 8 a.m. near Bellos Creek. A lone vehicle was burning in the middle of the highway.
“It appears the engine of a Dodge pickup caught fire,” said Kronebusch. “It was not involved in an MVI and unknown why it caught fire. The occupants were able to get out of the vehicle uninjured. Police were on scene conducting traffic control while the fire burned out.”
Traffic started moving at about 10:30 a.m. according to social media posts.
“It was outside of the fire protection area so the fire department was unable to attend,” said Kronebusch.
Witnesses noticed a damaged tractor-trailer rig in the ditch to the west of the fire. Another vehicle was also off to the side of the road at the same location.
“They were not related to the fire,” Kronebusch said.
According to witnesses, both vehicles were stopped in their spots much earlier, both had been already taped off by authorities, and the tractor-trailer had in fact struck a moose the night before.
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