At approximately 8:47am on September 13, 2017, Steinbach RCMP were dispatched to a vehicle fire on the Trans-Canada Highway, approximately 4.5 kilometres east of Richer, Manitoba.
While enroute, officers learned that the vehicle on fire was a fuel tanker and both occupants of the truck were uninjured and at a safe distance away from the scene.
Upon RCMP arrival at the scene, both fuel tanks of the truck were fully engulfed in flames. Due to the size of the fire, the large amount of fuel, the bush line and the direction of the wind, both east and westbound lanes of Highway 1 were closed. Traffic was diverted to Rural roads around the fire.
Police believe that the due to a lapse in concentration, the driver hit the shoulder of the road causing the tankers to pull the semi truck onto its side. The cab of the truck then snapped off and fell back on its wheels. Occupants of the truck were able to escape before the fuel caught fire, blowing up both tankers.
As a result of this incident, the fuel company sent out safety and maintenance personnel, the Highways Department provided workers to assist with traffic control, Environmental officers attended and arranged for Miller Environmental to perform clean-up. Also assisting was Motor Carrier Enforcement, an RCMP Traffic Analyst, RCMP Traffic Services and Steinbach General Duty Members. Transport Canada had also been notified.
For precaution, occupants of the semi truck were transported to the Ste. Anne Hospital with minor injuries. They were subsequently transported to Steinbach Bethesda Hospital for further tests and then back to Ste. Anne.
Police say that the main tanker was carrying approximately 40,000 litres of diesel fuel and a pup unit with approximately 11,500 litres of gas. There were no other vehicles involved in the incident.
