SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE
No one was injured in a morning engine fire on the main runway at the Yellowknife Airport.

The engine of this C-46 Buffalo Airways plane caught fire on takeoff at about 8 a.m. this morning. Three crew members were on board the aircraft at the time. No one was injured and the flames were put out quickly by members of the Yellowknife Airport fire department. - photo courtesy of the Department of Transportation

"At approximately 8 a.m. a C-46 Buffalo Airways aircraft was taking off from the Yellowknife runway when (its left) engine blew, causing an engine fire," said Earl Blacklock, spokesperson for the Department of Transportation, Friday morning.

There were three crew members and no passengers on board at the time.

Members of the Yellowknife Airport Fire Division responded immediately with a full compliment of firefighters -- two trucks equipped with fire suppressant foam -- and quickly put out the blaze.

"The airport crew had foam on the engine before the captain even got out of the airplane. The response time was that good," said Buffalo Airways' Mikey McBryan. "Big thanks to the Yellowknife Airport Fire Department for the quick response ... they could have saved the airplane."

McBryan estimated the fire caused about $60,000 in damage to the aircraft because the entire engine will now need to be replaced.

The plane was empty at the time of the incident. It was headed to Hay River to pick up cargo.

No one was injured in the incident and the damage was limited to the aircraft engine.

"Any time you have an airplane fire it's a dangerous situation," said Blacklock, adding the department is pleased with the capabilities of its airports fire division and in how they responded to this incident.