Updated: Thu Jan. 26 2012 18:13:25

ctvedmonton.ca

RCMP are investigating after a collision resulted in a van transporting prisoners bursting into flames early Thursday morning.

The prisoner transport van carrying nine prisoners and two Alberta sheriffs was travelling southbound on the Queen Elizabeth Highway II when it allegedly rear-ended a truck that had stopped to avoid another crash.

Sheriffs were able to remove all inmates safely.

"The sheriffs are very well trained to handle emergency situations such as this," Patrick Mears, with the Solicitor General's Office said. "They did a good job of making sure everyone was safe and secure."

"It's one of those things where these guys are lucky. I think very lucky just by looking at that van, that they were able to move all those prisoners out of this vehicle," said Cpl. Alex DaSilva with Leduc RCMP.

Most people involved were treated on the scene, and some were taken to Leduc hospital as a precaution – but no one was seriously injured.

The crash caused major tie-ups in the area with southbound traffic reduced to one lane for much of the morning – however, crews managed to clear up the highway within a few hours.

The Office of the Solicitor General says inmates were headed from the Edmonton Remand Centre to the Red Deer court house.

Police say road conditions were good in the area and they're still trying to determine what caused the chain-reaction crash.

With files from Jessica Earle