Yellowknife (Apr 05/06) - A woman had to leap for her life to avoid an out-of-control truck in a spectacular crash that snarled rush-hour traffic last week.

According to police, the woman was walking along Franklin Avenue when a truck lost control on ice, skipped over a median and hit a minibus by Northern United Place at about 4:50 p.m. March 29.

She jumped onto a chain-link fence to avoid being hit.

The crash took place in the Mildred Hall elementary school zone, said RCMP Sgt. Darcy Fleury.

"It was very fortunate that no-one was seriously injured," said Fleury.

When it went out of control, the red pickup truck sheared off a traffic sign, which punctured the truck's gas tank, said Yellowknife Fire Department Lieut. Mike Lowing.

The pedestrian and a passenger in the pickup were taken to Stanton Territorial Hospital as a precaution.

"It has been a while since the last time we saw an accident like this," said Lowing. He said most serious crashes happen at busy intersections and on the highway - "not a 30 km/hour school zone."

The crash backed up traffic for at least an hour as drivers were forced to detour around the scene on 52nd Avenue.

The truck driver has been charged with one count of driving too fast for road conditions. He is scheduled to appear in court on May 11.

If convicted, he faces a maximum of six months in jail and a $5,000 fine.

Hazardous material experts had to be called to clean up the spill left by the punctured gas truck, said Lowing.