Worst Day at Work Ever: Semi-Truck Rolls Into Pipeline, Area Ruled No-Fly Zone

As professional drivers, the folks wheeling semi-trucks should be a cut above the rest of us. But getting paid to do something doesn’t guarantee that you’re always going to do it perfectly, and when a big rig is involved, the consequences of any mistake can be embarrassingly huge.

Earlier this week, an unoccupied semi truck rolled into an excavation site at the Enbridge Line 5 pipeline in remote Saxon, Wisconsin. It collided with the pipeline, releasing a cloud of natural gas that forced the evacuation of nearby homes and the imposition of a no-fly zone in the area, a local CBS News affiliate reported Tuesday. Video posted by Milwaukee’s Fox News affiliate shows why: clouds of evaporating natural gas enveloped the site, nearly engulfing tall cranes.

Operated by Canada-based Enbridge, the pipeline carries petroleum products between Canada, Wisconsin, and Michigan. The construction work in Saxon, located in Iron County on the northern edge of Wisconsin, is part of a $1 billion relocation project to move the pipeline away from the Bad River Native American tribe’s reservation. Enbridge told local media outlets that no one was injured in the collision and that the affected section of pipeline was isolated right away. The company didn’t have an explanation for how the truck, which was parked at the construction site, was able to roll away.

The damage appears to have been contained quickly. On Wednesday, Wisconsin Public Radio reported that a haz-mat team and emergency response crews were still on-site, but that air quality monitoring showed no signs of hazardous gases outside the immediate area of the breach. A haz-mat team was conducting air quality readings within a one-mile radius of the site, sniffing for combustible gases, carbon monoxide, hydrogen sulfide, and volatile organic compounds at the time. However, around 50 residents remained without electricity after power was shut off as a precaution.

Built in 1953, the Line 5 pipeline stretches 645 miles between Superior, Wisconsin, and Sarnia, Ontario, Canada. It carries up to 23 million gallons of crude oil and liquid natural gas daily. These liquids, which are primarily used to make propane, evaporate quickly when released into the atmosphere, creating both a health and environmental hazard. Though cleaner than other hydrocarbons like oil and coal, natural gas is still a potent greenhouse gas when released into the atmosphere in undiluted form.

A mechanical issue could be at fault here; potential for roll-aways is a frequent source of recalls for light-duty trucks and cars, after all. But this wouldn’t be the first time a semi-truck driver has exercised bad judgment. The next time you feel bad about making a mistake at work, remember this story.