Drone captures raging truck fire on Highway 400

A blazing dump truck fire on Highway 400 on Thursday could be seen from miles away.

Barrie Fire Services received several calls about the flaming truck that was stopped on the side of the highway just before the Essa Road off-ramp.

"Most of the cab of the truck was burned down to the frame when we got there," said Deputy Fire Chief Carrie Clark.

Clark said the box contained a full load of asphalt, and firefighters flooded it twice to cool it down.

She said the driver was out of the truck when crews arrived on scene.

Across the highway, Phil Clark (no relation) could see the smoke and fire from his vantage point on Ardagh Road at around 3 p.m.

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"I could see the smoke, and I got the drone in the air," Clark said.

A drone hobbyist who also has his ultra-light pilot's licence, Clark said he knows the boundaries he can fly the drone.

"I was just in the right place at the right time," he said.

Firefighters cleared the scene at 3:45 p.m. as the Ministry of Transportation and Ontario Provincial Police took over.

OPP told CTV that the middle and right lanes were closed until 4 p.m., and no injuries were sustained in the fire.