Alaska Highway re-opens after fuel spill south of Watson Lake

Traffic is moving again on the Alaska Highwaysouth of Watson Lake, after a fuel spill early Wednesday morning. The highway was closed for several hours with no detours, but by Wednesday afternoon had opened to alternating lanes.

B.C. emergency officials say atanker truck carrying about 55,000 litres of fuel waspuncturedand leaking fuel near the LiardRiver at Fireside, B.C. That's about 135 kilometres down the highway from Watson Lake.

A spill report from Emergency Management B.C. says the incident happened at about 1 a.m. on Wednesday.

"My understanding is that the tanker truck went off the road late last night.As it went off road, the tanker was damaged," said Watson Lake RCMP Sgt. Kent Langley.

Langleysays the truck is about 13 metres off the road, and a "large amount" of fuel appears to have been spilled.

B.C. emergency officials initially reported the truck had overturned, but later said it was not overturnedbut had beenpunctured.

Officials also said there was no report of a leak at first, but several hours later RCMPsaid the load was in fact leaking. The truck is about 30 metres from the LiardRiver.

A pump truck was expected on the scene early Wednesday afternoon to empty the tanker.

B.C. officials say they have notified local emergency coordinators and First Nations. RCMP is reportedly at the site, and fire officials from Fort Nelson, B.C. were on their way early Wednesday afternoon.

B.C.'s environmental emergency response officeralsoplanned to do an overflight Wednesday.