PORTAGE, Maine — Heavy equipment was at Portage Lake Tuesday attempting to remove a logging vehicle that broke through the ice while trying to cross a section of the lake last week.
The grapple skidder fell through on Thursday right after driving onto the frozen lake from a snowmobile trail next to the floating islands in the northeastern region of Portage Lake, according to Sean Bernard, environmental specialist for Maine Department of Environmental Protection. The owner of the logging vehicle has not been identified.
No injuries were reported and emergency services were not called to the scene.
Northern Maine has been experiencing a mild winter that threatens an early end to the snowmobile season and higher than average temperatures contributed to the recent cancellation of the Can AM race. The weather may have affected the ice.
“This is one of the tougher [calls] that I have ever evaluated because it’s not in a good place and it’s not a good time of the year,” Bernard said.
Maine DEP was made aware of the incident last Friday and sent a team out on Monday to evaluate the environmental impacts of the incident.
It is not known how much oil has been spilled. Maine DEP will evaluate the area once the vehicle is removed.
Rafford Construction was called from Ashland to help get the grapple skidder out before the temperatures warm up later in the week. The excavator used by Rafford arrived Tuesday and social media posts indicated it attempted to remove the skidder but had not done so by 6 p.m.
“The excavator [Rafford Construction] is bringing out is heavier than the skidder that went through,” Bernard said.
Logs would be used to spread the weight out to prevent the excavator from falling through, according to Bernard.
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