A semi trailer spilled diesel fuel south of Ponoka along Hwy 2 early Saturday afternoon and closed the highway for two hours.
One of the semi’s two tanks leaked after the vehicle went off the snow-covered road and flipped on its side.
“At this point it’s really too soon to say how much diesel fluid did spill, however there was a sand berm built by the fire department to ensure that the spill did not reach the local water body,” said Erin Carrier, spokesperson with Alberta Environment and Water, on Sunday.
The semi landed about 500 metres away from Battle River.
Carrier said the tank was not punctured, but leaked fluid from a vent.
The cleanup is ongoing.
Hwy 2 traffic was diverted northbound to the Matejka overpass and southbound to Hwy 53. The highway reopened with one lane each way at about 3 p.m.
Also on Saturday, a Three Hills man with life-threatening injuries was taken by STARS air ambulance to a Calgary hospital after a head-on vehicle collision eight km west of Three Hills.
At 12:40 p.m., RCMP and emergency crews were dispatched and the jaws of life were required to free the 56-year-old driver.
On Sunday morning Innisfail RCMP recommended drivers stay off Hwy 2 between Bowden and Didsbury due to snow, poor visibility and slippery patches.
Sgt. Patrick Webb, RCMP spokesman for Southern and Central Alberta, said there were snowy roads around the province on the weekend.
“Some places it’s getting drifty and some places visibility is poor,” Webb said on Sunday.
He said people should drive appropriately for the road conditions.
szielinski@www.reddeeradvocate.com
— copyright Red Deer Advocate