A locomotive fire on a westbound Canadian Pacific coal train caused traffic chaos in Langley Tuesday morning and afternoon.

The fire was detected as the train was going through Milner late in the morning, and Langley Township fire crews were called to the scene. They were able to douse the fire, which was in the eletric motor in the truck assembly.

Canadian Pacific spokesman Kevin Hrysak said the cause of the fire is under investigation, but it likely occurred in a traction motor. One crew member who attempted to put out the fire was taken to hospital as a precaution, to be checked out for smoke inhalation.

Assistant fire chief Pat Walker said the firefighters checked with a heat detector to see if there were other hot spots on the locomotive, but they didn't find any others. He estimates that damage was around $50,000. The locomotives are valued at about $1.2 million each.

As the train was forced to stop, several crossings in the Milner area were blocked, including both Crush Crescent and Glover Road at the Jardine crossing, north of Highway 10.

The train was later able to move at a very slow pace and resume its journey to Roberts Bank. Hrysak said it was proceeding west to Cloverdale, where it could remain on a siding without blocking any streets.

However, because it was going very slowly, there were massive traffic tie-ups at Mufford Crescent, Highway 10, 200 Street, Fraser Highway and 56 Avenue.

It took the train almost 10 minutes to pass by the crossings. There was even lengthy lines of traffic on the 204 Street overpass, which was designed and built to permit traffic to avoid the congestion caused by train traffic on the other major roads.

Hrysak said there was no environmental damage from the fire.