A vehicle fire on Portage Avenue near Main Street backed up traffic in the eastbound lanes of the road on Wednesday evening.

Karen Kornelsen was on her way home from work at about 5:30 p.m. when she saw a vehicle "fully engulfed in flames."

A classic car caught fire near Portage Avenue on Dec. 14, causing traffic backups. Firefighters put out the flames and no injuries were reported. 0:35

Kornelsen said she couldn't see anybody in or around the vehicle and firefighters weren't yet on the scene.

"There was tons of smoke. The fumes are pretty bad," Kornelsen said. "I just got home to St. [Boniface] and my vehicle still reeks of the fumes in the air."

The vehicle was parked on the inside, eastbound lane of Portage just before it meets Main.

"I just really hope there was no one in the vehicle. I think that's what really freaked me out," Kornelsen said. "It's not something you see everyday."

Emergency services were on scene battling the blaze shortly afterward.