The City of Colwood is thanking bystanders and local first responders after a car fire broke out at a busy intersection on Wednesday evening.
Colwood Fire Department Lt. Kyle Smith says a young couple that was driving nearby noticed that another driver was in distress before 5:30 p.m.
They pulled over and flagged the driver down, just as smoke was starting to rise from the vehicle.
They then helped the driver exit the car before the vehicle’s engine caught fire at the intersection of Goldstream Avenue and Sooke Road around 5:30 p.m.
“When firefighters arrived they were faced with heavy smoke and active flames exiting the front end of the vehicle,” said the city in a social media post Thursday.
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(City of Colwood)
Traffic was brought to a standstill along the westbound lanes of Sooke Road where it meets the Island Highway so firefighters could battle the flames.
Eventually, once the fire was extinguished, the car was moved onto Goldstream Avenue and westbound traffic was allowed to travel through Sooke Road once again, according to Colwood.
“Goldstream [Avenue] remained totally closed for about an hour to allow for fire overhaul, removal of the vehicle, and clean-up of the scene,” said the city.
Smith says no one was injured in the fire, and no other property was damaged besides the car.
“This emergency scene was a great example of community teamwork,” said the city. “The quick actions of bystanders/witnesses, RCMP, and Westshore Towing Ltd., and the patience of drivers all allowed for the fire department to action this fire in a safe manner.”
Smith says the cause of the fire is still under investigation.
“A big thank you to the passersby that alerted the occupants and made sure the driver got OK and alerted emergency services,” he said.
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Adam Chan
