Update: Truck catches fire after crashing into wall on QEW near Hamilton

A tractor-trailer caught fire and its diesel tank “ruptured” after banging into a concrete wall on the Niagara-bound Queen Elizabeth Way near Hamilton on Tuesday morning.

No one was reported injured in the incident in Burlington, south of the Burlington Skyway. The Hamilton Fire Department said the cause was unknown. Burlington OPP are investigating the incident.

“Avoid the area if you can,” said OPP Sgt. Kerry Schmidt in a video posted on the OPP Highway Safety Division’s account on X, formerly known as Twitter. 

All Niagara-bound lanes are blocked, according to the OPP. Only one Toronto-bound lane is open between Eastport and Woodward.

Fire crews quickly contained the fire that engulfed the truck, which was carrying pink insulation, Dan Milovanovic, deputy fire chief for the Hamilton Fire Department, told inthehammer.com today (Sept. 19).

Crews were removing the insulation piece by piece and dousing it with water to make sure it won’t reignite, said Schmidt.

Fire crews were called to the scene to deal with the hazardous material.  

“The call was dispatched as a Haz-Mat Level 1 call strictly to contain the spilled fuel,” said Milovanovic. “There are no reports of injuries and cause has not been determined. Some apparatus are being released from the scene with some still on scene completing overhaul operations.”

Dr. Stephen Lapinsky, a clinician investigator at Mount Sinai ICU in Toronto who witnessed the incident, said part of the QEW was closed for almost two hours.

“No more fire. Just seem to be emptying truck of pink bales/insulation,” he said in an email in response to inthehammer.com’s questions.

Truck fire: #QEW/Eastport Drive. All Niagara bound lanes blocked, only one Toronto bound lane open between Eastport and Woodward. No injuries, #BurlingtonOPP investigating. pic.twitter.com/Ocw7s71J15

— OPP Highway Safety Division (@OPP_HSD) September 19, 2023