Times Chronicle Staff
A dramatic vehicle fire that sent huge plumes of black smoke into the air west of Osoyoos on Monday is still under investigation.
Osoyoos Fire Rescue extinguished the blaze on Highway 3 where a tow truck caught fire while towing a tractor trailer unit. The fire spread to some brush on the side of the road but firefighters put it out.
Osoyoos RCMP Sgt. Jason Bayda said they received a call at 12:43 p.m. from a driver of a heavy wrecker tow truck advising that his tow truck was on fire. The location was just west of the Highway 3 lookout.
“The heavy wrecker was towing another semi truck when the tow truck appears to have received a flat tire,” Bayda said. “The flat tire ignited and spread to the rest of the tow truck.”
The commander said the area was out of Osoyoos fire jurisdiction, therefore the truck burned extensively and police had to block both directions of Highway 3 due to the heavy toxic smoke as well as the tires bursting.
“Osoyoos Fire Rescue was eventually, and thankfully, given the approval to assist and were able to knock the fire down before it spread into the surrounding hills,” Bayda said. “Great work by the Osoyoos Fire Department. I can’t thank them enough for their assistance.”
Bayda said no one was injured in the fire, but the tow truck based out of Hope was a total loss. The semi truck being towed received some heat damage to the front grill area.
Osoyoos firefighters finish spraying the vehicles with foam.
(Photo from Osoyoos Fire Rescue Facebook page)
