DEH GAH GOT'IE KOE/FORT PROVIDENCE
Five vehicles on a transport trailer heading north on Highway 3 were destroyed by fire just outside Fort Providence on Jan. 10.

Fort Providence volunteer firefighters put out a vehicle fire on Highway 3 on Jan. 10. The cost of the damage is estimated to be $300,000. - photo courtesy of Thorsten Gohl

The hamlet's fire department received two calls about the fire around 8 p.m. that day.

It took about 20 minutes for the volunteers to make it to the scene north of the Deh Cho Bridge.

The driver was able to disconnect the trailer before the fire spread to the truck.

However, the driver sustained injuries. RCMP Const. Elenore Sturko confirmed police transported the driver to the hamlet's health centre where he was treated and released.

The fire, which is believed to have started in a rear wheel of the trailer, is estimated by the fire department to have caused about $300,000 worth of damage.

Fort Providence Fire Chief Andy Sapp said crews applied water to the two pickup trucks and three cars that were burning, but were unable to save them. It's unclear if other vehicles were saved.

Sapp said while the truck was northbound on the highway, he wasn't sure where it was supposed to deliver the vehicles. He wasn't sure if the vehicles were new or not.

"It was hard to tell when we saw them," he said.

Photos from the scene that night show large flames coming from the vehicles on the open-sided trailer.

He said fire crews were at the scene for about an hour.

Gravel was placed on the roadway because of ice from the water used to put out the flames.

"It was a good response by the (fire department) members," he said.

Sapp said calls for truck issues on the highway aren't unusual, but he can't recall a vehicle hauler catching fire before.

The highway was closed for about an hour and then was down to one lane until the trailer could be removed the next day.