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SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE - A small oil spill closed down one-lane of Yellowknife's busiest intersection for at least a half an hour, Wednesday morning.

Two buckets of hydraulic oil fell off of a Nahanni Construction pick-up truck at the intersection of Kam Lake Road and Old Airport Road just after morning rush hour, at around 9:30 a.m. Wednesday.

Crews clean up 68 litres of hydraulic oil spilt onto Old Airport Road Wednesday morning, after two buckets of oil fell off a pick-up truck at Yellowknife's busiest intersection. - Herb Mathisen/NNSL photo

The fire department responded to the incident – within sight of the fire hall – with an ambulance and rescue truck.

Four firefighters sprinkled absorbent materials on the spilt oil to sop it up, then shovelled it into buckets.

A spill report was filed with the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, and the database indicated the amount of hydraulic oil spilt amounted to 68 litres.

"It was quickly contained. Nothing seeped into any drain systems or into any kind of watersheds. It was all contained on the pavement," said Fire Chief Albert Headrick.

Crews cordoned off a storm drain with a garbage bag and small foam containment berms to prevent any of the hydraulic oil from seeping into it.

Headrick said the spill was not hosed off the pavement because the run-off could potentially flow into drainage systems and contaminate a watershed. A small section of the right lane at the end of Franklin Avenue and the beginning of Old Airport Road was closed for a half hour, said Headrick, while crews responded to the spill.

Headrick said officials from the department of environment and natural resources were notified of the spill and attended the scene. A Nahanni Construction employee gave crews a hand with the clean-up.

Crews responded to a similar incident Tuesday afternoon, when 20 l of gasoline were spilt in the Shoppers Drug Mart parking lot.