Whitehorse Daily Star

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Photo by Vince Fedoroff

ASSESSING THE SITUATION – Emergency response officials confer at the scene of Thursday’s tanker accident in north Whitehorse.

Rollover, road closures affected many people

Whitehorse RCMP are continuing to investigate the cause of Thursday’s rollover of a tanker truck carrying aviation fuel.

By Stephanie Waddell on June 23, 2017

Whitehorse RCMP are continuing to investigate the cause of Thursday’s rollover of a tanker truck carrying aviation fuel.

The accident saw a portion of the Alaska and North Klondike highways closed at the intersection throughout much of the day, leading to lengthy traffic snarls.

RCMP spokeswoman Coralee Reid said this morning the cause and any contributing factors are not yet known, as the rollover is still under investigation.

The roads were closed in both directions following the mishap shortly after 7 a.m.

It was around 3 p.m. that single-lane traffic opened with a pilot vehicle leading vehicles through until both lanes on each road reopened at around 6:30 p.m.

The driver of the truck was taken to Whitehorse General Hospital, treated and released.

While RCMP and the Whitehorse Fire Department dealt with the immediate response to the accident, Environment Yukon was also on the scene dealing with the cleanup.

This morning, officials said four environmental compliance and inspections officers responded to the situation, working with the trucking firm to initiate a spill response.

“It is estimated between 3,000 to 6,000 litres was spilled; however, those numbers are still being confirmed,” officials said in a statement today.

“Environment officers are also assessing potential effects the spilled fuel may have on the environment.”

Booms were deployed by Environment Yukon on Little Takhini Creek to contain and absorb contamination. There are plans to monitor and maintain the booms downstream from the creek.

Two companies have been hired by the trucking firm to deal with assessment, containment and remediation, Environment Yukon noted.

One company will deal with the soil and the other will deal with the creek.

“We will continue to update the public as the remediation work continues,” officials said.

Tourists and residents found themselves altering their plans for the day around the two major roads’ closures.

Numerous RVs were caught in the long lineups of travellers waiting to get through the intersection. There were also cases of north-end residents employed south of the accident scene missing most or all of a day’s work.

For Terrance McCallum and Lisa Organ, that meant figuring out a way to get Lisa’s sister Vienna and her partner, David Wagg, who were wrapping up their visit to the territory, into the city to catch their flight home.

They had been staying at McCallum’s and Organ’s home off of the North Klondike Highway.

Hearing about the closure, McCallum offered to get the couple into town by boat.

So he, his two daughters and the couple put garbage bags around the luggage and got McCallum’s 16-foot aluminum power boat into the river.

“It was an awesome, fun trip,” McCallum said of the 45-minute river journey.

If his boat was bigger, he added, he would have offered up rides to others trying to get into town.

They pulled into the Marwell boat launch with Lisa, who had driven into the city’s core for work before the highways were closed. She then drove them to the airport to catch their flight.

“It all worked out,” McCallum said.

He pointed out his boat wasn’t the only one travelling to Whitehorse. He met one couple going by boat to make a medical appointment.

The impact of the highways’ lengthy closures was also felt at the weekly Fireweed Community Market at Shipyards Park.

On Thursday afternoon, a sign greeted customers highlighting five vendors who would be arriving late due to the rollover.

Comments (6)

Up 12 Down 1

To just wondering on Jun 27, 2017 at 10:03 am

In response to a comment on PPE, and the implication City of Whitehorse employees were lacking. Neither of the two men in the photo are municipal employees. All Whitehorse firefighters were in their PPE. None show up to scenes dressed in civilian gear. The papers title of emergency response officials includes a large variety of responding agencies both governmental and non-governmental.

Up 8 Down 12

ProScience Greenie on Jun 25, 2017 at 1:34 pm

Have no idea how a truck could roll at that intersection.

When it comes to safety most private sector businesses at the Cor level are no longer driven by common sense. It's all about reducing liability costs and optics. And then there is all the inexperienced anal retentive safety people on their constant power trips. In many cases private sector goes way further than what WCB asks for. It's gotten just plain over-the-top stupid out there. Follow the money.

Government on the other hand seem to still be reasonable, practical and rational about safety policies. Good for them.

Up 23 Down 4

just wondering... on Jun 24, 2017 at 2:41 pm

Photo reads "Emergency response officials confer at the scene."
Is it only private sector businesses that need proper PPE to work on roadways??? Do the WCB rules not apply to Municipal and Government workers?

Up 11 Down 2

Lisa Organ on Jun 24, 2017 at 11:32 am

Edit to story - my sister and her partner live in Whitehorse and were traveling to Ontario for their daughters grad. Which they would have missed if it weren't for Terrance (school bus driver). Vienna is born and raised in the Yukon and the owner of The Deli and Dave works for Milligan Sheet Metal.

Up 8 Down 37

Lisa Enderson on Jun 24, 2017 at 12:58 am

Funny that the name of the trucking company is missing? Was it an
Air North truck?

Up 13 Down 26

UnlikeHighways on Jun 23, 2017 at 6:57 pm

Perhaps...just perhaps, extended lanes (3) at intersections like these would allow traffic to move around such accidents.

Other than more signage to slow down, or blinking lights..one wonders about the fitness of truck drivers doing the milk run thru Yukon....

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