An unoccupied semi-truck struck Enbridge’s embattled Line 5 pipeline Tuesday, triggering a gas leak, evacuations and a shutdown in northern Wisconsin.
The incident occurred around 10 a.m. near Sitan Road in the rural town of Saxon, Wisconsin, according to the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR).
Enbridge spokesperson Juli Kellner said a parked, unoccupied semi-truck rolled into a Line 5 excavation site and struck the pipeline.
The collision released natural gas liquids, with drone footage showing a large vapour cloud engulfing the work site.
“No one was injured. As a precaution, nearby rural homes have been evacuated,” Kellner said in a statement.
The affected section of the pipeline was immediately isolated and Line 5 was shut down while emergency crews worked to stabilize the site.
