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Truck fire sparks grass fire, traffic slowdowns on Highway 11

Incident happened at around 5 p.m. Sunday evening in Oro-Medonte Township, officials say

A truck that erupted in flames sparked traffic chaos on Highway 11 Sunday and prompted concerns for a popular local farm.

Just after 5 p.m. Sunday, a pickup caught on fire in the southbound lanes of Highway 11, just north of Highway 93 in Oro-Medonte Township. All occupants escaped without injuries. 

More than a dozen firefighters and various apparatus from Oro-Medonte Fire and Emergency Services and Barrie attended the incident that at one point threatened the Chappell Farms property, a popular destination for generations of local families. The fire was kept at bay and did not damage the farm. 

The incident prompted the closure of Highway 11 multiple times and there are long lines of traffic backed up between Line 2 and Line 3. One lane of traffic is getting through as of 6:30 p.m. 

It's not clear what caused the vehicle fire.