A semi-tanker rolled and caught fire around 9:45 Wednesday morning on Highway 1 just east of Richer in front of Geppetto’s.

Richer Deputy Fire Chief Don McDougall says both occupants of the tanker were transported to hospital.

"There were two people in the vehicle and they were both transported by ambulance to Ste. Anne Hospital. One was injured, we don’t know the extent. The ambulance took them while we were containing the fire."

As of 11:30 a.m. McDougall says the semi remains on the highway while the two fuel tanks it was pulling are burning in the south ditch of eastbound Highway 1. He says the Richer Fire Department has assistance from the Ste. Anne, Giroux, and La Broquerie fire departments and the firefighters have the blaze under control.

"The plan is just to contain it for now. I guess we are waiting on a decision from environment to see if we are going to extinguish and then we have to clean up a spill or if we are going to continue to keep it at bay and let it burn and monitor."

McDougall adds the westbound lanes of Highway 1 were reopened around 11, but they anticipate eastbound lanes will remain closed well into the night if not into Thursday morning.

Firefighters battle tanker blaze