Motorists had to steer clear of a burning car on Saturday afternoon after a BMW erupted into flames while on North Vancouver’s Capilano Road.
Fire crews were called shortly after 4 p.m. to find the BMW X3, a compact luxury crossover SUV, fully engulfed in flames, said District of North Vancouver Fire and Rescue Services Assistant Chief Dwayne Derban.
The driver had been travelling on the upper-level highway when his car began to fill with smoke and he was forced to pull over and call 911, he said.
Derban said a backup fire truck had been initially called after the first tore through its water supply - about 300 gallons - trying to extinguish the blaze.
However, it was called off when fire crews managed to fill the initial truck’s tank at a fire hydrant nearby.
While the cause of the fire is still being investigated, usually when a car is filling up with smoke it is an indication that “something in the engine cavity has started to make its way backwards,” said Derban.
Mark Teasdale had been travelling along Capilano Road when he was alerted to the fire by large flames on the right side of the road and standstill traffic.
"The flames were high and I worried about the brush catching on fire from the angle I was looking at," he said.
"If the dry brush caught fire I was then concerned about the highway traffic above, it’s not very often you see flames that big."
Teasdale said fire crews put out the fire "super fast", and a tow truck had arrived to remove the scorched vehicle - left with its engine completely gutted - within the hour.
Derban said the swift actions of both the fire crew and the driver ensured the incident was dealt with quickly and effectively.
“If you’re in an area that is high traffic, it’s always nice to get out of the way while you can,” he said.
“The fact that this guy was able to get off the highway and park, and get out his car, and stay safe, that was the main thing. We’re always worried about life over limb.”
Fire Capilano Road under the highway overpass. Fire truck just arrived. Traffic not moving in this direction. #NorthVan pic.twitter.com/F9OhkN8Tpu
— Mark Teasdale ★ (@MarksGonePublic) June 10, 2023
Mina Kerr-Lazenby is the North Shore News’ Indigenous and civic affairs reporter. This reporting beat is made possible by the Local Journalism Initiative.
