UPDATE: Traffic along the Okanagan Connector is flowing freely again after being closed for most of Friday.
According to DriveBC, Highway 97C reopened to traffic around 4 a.m., 20 km from West Kelowna, after eastbound lanes were closed around 11 a.m. for a vehicle fire. Not long after that closure, the westbound lanes were also closed to traffic.
Police said Friday afternoon that fire crews were having a hard time battling the blaze, as the commercial truck was carrying chemicals.
ORIGINAL STORY:
Part of the Okanagan Connector is currently closed because of a commercial vehicle fire.
Video sent to Global News shows a truck parked alongside the highway, with smoke and flames erupting from the vehicle.
Shortly before 11 a.m., DriveBC issued a notice saying the eastbound lanes east of Brenda Mines were closed due to a vehicle fire. Not long after, the westbound lanes were closed to traffic.
According to police, the truck fire is roughly 20 kilometres from West Kelowna, near the Silver Creek pullout.
RCMP added that the truck was carrying chemicals which ignited, making the firefight challenging.
“The West Kelowna Fire Department is on scene battling the blaze and is making progress,” said West Kelowna RCMP, who are asking motorists to avoid the area.
A witness, Bob Hollier, said he saw black smoke as he was approaching the vehicle, a five-ton rental truck with its rear tires on fire.
The driver was safe, but Hollier then noticed the truck had signs indicating chemicals on board.
“I told him to back up and stand far away from it,” said Hollier, who then notified police this was more than just a simple vehicle fire due to the truck’s contents.
How long the closure will last isn’t known, but DriveBC says an assessment is in progress.
As of 5:30 p.m., the highway was still closed to traffic. An update was expected at 9 p.m.
Detours are available via highways 1, 97, 3, 3A, 5 and 5A.
Police say once the fire is extinguished, an investigation will begin into the fire’s cause.
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