The rear trailer on a tandem tanker unit hauling diesel fuel on the Dempster Highway flipped early Tuesday afternoon north of the Eagle Plains Hotel, resulting in a highway closure.

Environment Yukon reported today about 200 litres of fuel leaked from the turned-over trailer onto the travelled portion of the highway, but did not enter the ditch.

“The spill appears to be small and contained,” Environment Yukon reported this morning.

“Workers from the highway grader camp at Eagle were able to respond immediately with a spill kit.”

There were no reports of injuries in the accident involving the tanker owned by Environmental Refueling Systems.

It was only the rear trailer that flipped.

The accident occurred at 2 p.m., forcing the closure of the highway at that location. The artery had already been closed by blizzard conditions on the N.W.T. side of the border.

The recovery of the tanker was completed and the portion of the highway where the incident occurred was re-opened at 8 p.m. Wednesday, the Department of Highways and Public Works reported today.

The N.W.T. opened the James Creek section of the highway at approximately 2 p.m.

A empty tanker truck was located at the Eagle Plains Hotel.

Crews pumped the remaining 12,800 litres of diesel from the leaking compartment of the turned-over trailer into the empty truck, Environment Yukon reported.