The South Klondike Highway, south of the Canadian border, is experiencing a prolonged closure due to an avalanche risk and a collision that caused a diesel fuel spill last Saturday.

Sam Dapcevich, a spokesperson with the Alaska Department of Transportation, spoke with the Star on Monday afternoon about the incident.

A Petro Marine fuel truck collided with an ore truck. This caused approximately 2,250 litres (500 gallons) of diesel fuel to spill out.

There was no spill from the ore truck.

The accident took place in the 9-Mile area.

The conditions left approximately 12 people stranded, Dapcevich said. There were no reported injuries.

State workers reached these vehicles and all the stranded people were brought to Skagway.

The crew remained at the accident site Tuesday, planning to clean up the spill as soon as possible.

Dapcevich explained that the accident site needs to be evaluated before the snow removal equipment can go through. He estimated the snow blowers would have likely reached stranded vehicles late Monday.

That said, he figures the highway will likely remain closed until Wednesday.

Dapcevich clarified that the snowy weather conditions would have triggered the closure regardless of the accident.

He warned there is another winter storm forecast for the next two days.

Forecasts, according to the National Weather Service, call for between 10 and 23 inches of snow, with 45 m.p.h. winds, near White Pass and the Haines boarder crossing.

“It’s not over yet,” Dapcevich said.

Andrew Cremata, Skagway’s mayor, said Monday the conditions deteriorated rapidly last weekend. He added this was the biggest snowfall he could remember in eight to nine years.

“We haven’t had a storm like that in quite a bit,” Cremata told the Star.

He hoped for the highway to be open again soon, but said that will ultimately depend on weather conditions.

He said the accident and spill were reported to police immediately after the collision.

Dapcevich said updates are available online at 511.alaska.gov.

Meanwhile, the Dyea Townsite Road is once again open to vehicle traffic after heavy snowfall had prevented the National Park Service from plowing the road last Sunday.

Drivers are advised to use extreme caution; warmer temperatures and freezing rain have caused a layer of ice to form on the road.