Alaska Highway open after clean up of spilled oil from overturned tanker

The Alaska Highway has reopened at milepost 686 near Swift River. Delays of 20-30 minutes expected. (http://www.511yukon.ca/en/)

Canadian authorities reopened the Alaska Highway at 8 pm last night at a point near Swift River in the Yukon Territory, where a fuel tanker wrecked and overturned Monday night.

The road is now open to single lane traffic assisted by pilot cars. Delays of 20 to 30 minutes are expected.

The truck went off the road around milepost 686, about 77 miles west of Watson Lake. A Highways spokesperson said the fuel truck was pulling two tankers, with at least one tanker rupturing.

The territory’s department of environment said in a release that roughly 7,600 gallons of fuel was spilled. Foam was put on the spill to mitigate the fumes and prevent it from catching on fire. It is expected that the fuel tankers will be removed from the site within 24 hours.

The Yukon Department of Highways and Royal Canadian Mounted Police were at the scene all day on Tuesday.

The RCMP say the driver was taken to hospital with non life-threatening injuries.

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