The logging truck that plunged into the Elk River last week has been removed, and an oil-absorbing boom has been erected across the river to collect any remaining pollutants released by the vehicle while it was underwater.
On Monday October 18, a fully-laden logging truck suffered a mechanical failure (reportedly a wheel blow-out) and veered into the river at highway speeds near Kubinec Rd.
The lone occupant, the driver, was able to escape the cabin of the truck uninjured. No other vehicles were involved.
Authorities recovered the vehicle from the river last week, but there is still evidence of the incident with parts of the truck on the riverbank and oil in the water.
It did not appear that the fuel tank was ruptured in the incident, but the oil was from the truck itself.
Chad Hughes of the Elk River Alliance said that the pollutants would definitely have detrimental effects to the river, “but given it was a one-off incident, there shouldn’t be a major impact,” he said.
A boom designed to absorb residual oil was stretched across the river last week.
READ MORE: Logging truck takes a dip in the Elk River