Vehicle Fire on Highway 97 Near Peachland

Update 11:00 a.m.: DriveBC reports that Highway 97 at Antlers Beach is now clear.

Update 10:05 a.m.: The fire is now out, and Chief Dennis Craig of Peachland Fire and Rescue says that the highway should fully reopen shortly.

The fire department was called out at about 8:46 a.m. to Antlers Beach Hill on Highway 97 between Hardy Street and Brent Road for a vehicle fire. When they arrived, they found a fully involved one ton flatdeck truck that was hauling home insulation. Both the driver and the passenger managed to get out of the truck safely with no injuries.

Craig says that though there was a risk of the fire spreading, it only went about a foot or two into the highway and did not set any forest area aflame. The crews were able to contain the fire and knock it down pretty quickly. Although the highway was completely closed for about a half hour, it soon reopened to single lane alternating traffic.

The fire chief says that the blaze seems to have been a mechanical issue with the truck, and that the fire started outside of the cab in the engine area.

Original Story:

A vehicle fire is disrupting traffic on Highway 97 south of Peachland.

Few details are currently available, but the fire is before Brent Road, and the Peachland Fire and Rescue Service is currently responding. Reports are that there is a truck fire and DriveBC says that the traffic is currently single lane alternating. Motorists should be prepared for delays, and crews on the scene say that the estimated time to clear the scene is 20 to 30 minutes.

View of a section of Highway 97 south of Peachland. (Photo Credit: Google Maps)

KelownaNow will have more details as they become available.