An incident occurred at Pontoon Lake, located approximately 30 kilometers northwest of Yellowknife, where an excavator involved in embankment widening work slid into the water on Friday. The Northwest Territories Department of Infrastructure reported that the excavator became partially submerged due to a slump in the construction embankment fill. Fortunately, no injuries were reported in this event.
However, according to a report from the Department of Environment and Climate Change’s spill database, approximately 450 liters of fuel were spilled during the incident. This marks the second accident at the construction site within the week. Earlier in the week, a dump truck operated by RTL Robinson Enterprises Ltd. overturned and also ended up in Pontoon Lake due to embankment slumping, although there were no injuries or spill concerns in that case.
The construction contractor is currently engaged in widening the embankment and installing guardrails along the Ingraham Trail near kilometer 26. The Department of Infrastructure, in collaboration with the Department of Environment and Climate Change, mentioned that the contractor has notified the appropriate authorities and implemented spill containment measures as a precautionary step while the excavator recovery process is ongoing.
Residents in the area may experience delays as work continues. Despite attempts to reach out for comment, RTL Robinson Enterprises Ltd. has not provided an immediate response.