Vehicle fire sparks lane closure on Highway 97 in Oregon

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) — A dramatic blaze involving a Kia Soul caused a partial closure of Highway 97 near Bend today, drawing a swift response from Oregon State Police and local firefighters. The incident, which saw flames erupt from the vehicle just before noon, left no injuries as all occupants escaped safely. Authorities are investigating the cause of the fire as traffic lanes have since been reopened.

The driver of the vehicle told the Oregon state police that she felt the car acting strangely while she was driving. She pulled over to the side of the road shortly before the fire began. Emergency responders closed one southbound lane of Highway 97 to accommodate firefighting efforts.

Numerous motorists passing the scene reported seeing flames coming from the Kia Soul on the shoulder of the highway. Firefighters arrived on the scene and finished extinguishing the blaze by approximately noon.

Officers with the state police assisted with traffic management while the lane was closed during the fire.