Firefighters spray water on a burning semi truck that has closed the Alaska Highway south of Whitehorse on Aug. 18. (Calvin Gillings/Facebook)

Firefighters spray water on a burning semi truck that has closed the Alaska Highway south of Whitehorse on Aug. 18. (Calvin Gillings/Facebook)

Burning semi truck closes Alaska Highway south of Whitehorse

The highway is currently closed in both directions.

The Alaska Highway is currently closed in both directions south of Whitehorse due to an overturned semi truck on fire.

A Facebook post from the Yukon government’s Highways and Public Works branch says the crashed semi is just west of the Lewes River Bridge, commonly known to Whitehorse residents as the blue bridge.

The crashed truck is at kilometre marker 1386 and the RCMP, emergency medical services and more than one fire department were at the scene as of noon on Aug. 18. The highway is closed between Jake’s Corner and the Carcross Cutoff.

The government promised further updates would be provided using Yukon 511.

(Jim Elliot)

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