Ice road between Yellowknife and Detah closed
'I was gonna jump out the window,' said Bertha Drygeese who was in a truck when tire went through ice
The Northwest Territories Department of Infrastructure says the Yellowknife to Detah ice road is now closed as of 4 p.m. Wednesday, after pooling meltwater at the Yellowknife end became a close call for a Detah resident.
The department said the closing is "due to rapidly deteriorating conditions."
Earlier Wednesday afternoon, the use of the road was restricted to high clearance vehicles only — such as SUVs and four-wheel drive trucks.
Historically, the Detah ice road has closed on or around April 21.
'I was gonna jump out the window'
Bertha Drygeese was on her way to Detah Wednesday afternoon, when she said a tire went through the ice.
"I just thought the water was going to go into the cab [of her truck]," said Drygeese, with a nervous laugh recalling the incident. "I was gonna jump out the window."
Drygeese said the cab was on a slight slant with waters up to the rim.
Another driver helped get the truck out, hooking it with a chain, she said.
"It didn't take long," said Drygeese. "We were fortunate."
Corrections
- This story previously stated that Bertha Drygeese was a passenger in a cab when she went through the ice. In fact, she was travelling in the cab of a truck.Apr 19, 2018 9:56 AM CT
With files from Priscilla Hwang