The QEII Highway north of Calgary has been reopened to traffic after a serious crash involving a gas tanker shut it down early Tuesday morning.
Two northbound lanes and one southbound lane were opened to traffic at about 1:45 p.m.
RCMP were called to the scene of a crash in the southbound lanes of the highway right at the turn off heading into CrossIron Mills at about 4:00 a.m. Tuesday.
Police say a truck hauling fuel was southbound on the highway when it left the road and crashed into the centre median.
The highway was closed in both directions between Stoney Trail and CrossIron Drive so crews could bring in equipment to cleanup the remaining fuel from the tanker.
"In a situation such as this, safety is the number one priority for all emergency personnel and the general public," says Corp. Darrin Turnbull of the Airdrie RCMP. "We've got traffic diversion. Calgary Police Service are helping on the northbound lanes of the QEII and Airdrie RCMP is monitoring the southbound."
No one was injured in the crash and RCMP are still investigating.
"The initial responding officers did talk with the driver of the tanker truck and the driver did indicate to the officer that he may have fallen asleep, so we're looking at driver fatigue as one of the causes. But, of course, we don't stop there. We are investigating further to see if there are other factors that were involved."
Turnbull says that the general public has been very compliant with the closure of one of the busiest stretches of road in western Canada. "It's a big feat and thankfully, so far the public has been great. We've only had a few minor incidences that've resulted with the traffic being diverted around the neighbourhood. Hopefully it clears up by noon so we can get the motoring public on the move again."
Airdrie RCMP, Rocky View Fire Service, Provincial EMS, Alberta Highways, and Alberta Environment all responded to the scene.
