Vehicle fire on Highway 12 in Midland

Drivers along Highway 12 in Midland could see a large plume of smoke Sunday afternoon.

Bill Leeming and his wife Lin were driving home from the cottage on Father’s Day when they came upon a burning car.

Leeming said he and his wife had been fishing in the morning and then left the cottage and headed west on Highway 93 out of Midland and onto Highway 12.

“We were driving up on Highway 12 when we saw this car fully engulfed in flames,” said Leeming. “As we drove by, the car exploded,” he said. “I think it was something in the back of the car.” 

That’s when he stopped filming and started to worry.

“I thought, ‘Oh, my God, shrapnel,’” he said.

Leeming said provincial police were parked at the intersection when the car detonated.

They continued on their way, shaken by seeing the car ablaze on the side of the highway.

Huronia West Provincial Police Const. David Hobson said, “A Barrie male purchased a used vehicle in the area. He was on his way home, and it caught fire.”

No injuries were reported, and following the clean-up, the vehicle was towed away.