Truck in ditch caused June 4 Gunflint Trail traffic detour

Motorists traveling near the Gunflint Hills Golf Course on June 4 may have had to make a temporary detour as a large commercial vehicle was removed from the ditch after a tire blowout.

The initial anonymous call reporting the incident came in just before 4:30 p.m. and the caller said a “giant tow truck” had gone off the road. Maple Hill Fire Department and North Shore Health ambulance were paged to respond.

At 4:37 p.m., the law enforcement center heard from McKeever Well Drilling, which owns the rig that went off the road. The company informed the sheriff’s office that the vehicle was a water truck. The driver was not injured and a large vehicle tow truck had been contacted.

The Maple Hill Fire Department traffic control team was paged to help when the tow truck from Blaine Towing arrived at about 7:30 p.m. As the well drilling truck was pulled out, traffic was diverted onto the Golf Course Road. By 10 p.m., the vehicle was back on the road and all responders were clear from the scene.

Minnesota State Patrol was contacted and responded that a commercial vehicle inspection was not needed, as it was obvious the incident was caused by a blown tire.