Fuel Tanker Breaks through Ice Road in Canada Days after Authorities Increased Weight Limit

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Days after a fuel tanker fell through the ice into one of Canada's pristine lakes, crews have finally drained all of the petroleum that residents feared would pollute a major source of clean drinking water. 

CBC reports that 30,000 liters of fuel, more than 5,000 gallons, were successfully drained overnight, with not a drop contaminating Great Bear Lake, where the truck had fallen through the ice on Saturday.

The ice had been determined safe for tankers to drive across and several others has passed through safely before the fuel tanker fell into the lake in the Northwest Territories (N.W.T.).

The N.W.T. Department of Transportation said that there were no injuries from the incident, though the ice road was subsequently closed to traffic. According to CBC, 11 tankers had successfully crossed the frozen lake, with ice estimated to be at least 100 centimeters (40 inches) thick. 

The incident occurred on an access road that stretches more than 60 miles before crossing the lake. The DOT posted last week on Twitter that the Great Bear Ice Crossing was clear to sustain loads up to 40,000 kilograms, or around 44 tons.  

"It's also not too far from our water intake to supply the community with freshwater," Deline police chief Leonard Kenny told CBC. "It could contaminate Great Bear Lake. It's one of the freshest and most pristine lakes in the world."

Residents were on edge as the DOT puts a plan in place to minimize the possibility of a fuel leakage during the truck's rescue.

Now that the DOT has removed the fuel and the threat associated with it, the director of highways says crews will take their time removing the truck itself. In the meantime, crews are fortifying the ice around the truck to support a crane to retrieve the vehicle, and the DOT has also offered a detour to light traffic and emergency vehicles.

As the investigation continues, officials plan to determine whether the tanker surpassed the weight limit for the ice despite being weighed before entering the lake.

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