Joined
·
8,108 Posts
Saturday, 01/05/02
AP-DETROIT LAKES - About 10 large trailers parked for a major snowmobile race fell into Big Detroit Lake early Saturday after the warm weather weakened the ice.
There were no injuries, but some of the trailers and the equipment inside were completely submerged in the northwestern Minnesota lake.
"It's a terrible situation, especially for the racers," Detroit Lakes Fire Chief Jeff Swanson said. "Nobody's been injured, and that's the positive thing, but we've got a lot of dollars in the water."
Wally Scheer, director of the World Snowmobile Association Pro Ice race, said he got a call about 5 a.m. from a driver who was in one of the trailers and felt it sink. He said race crews scrambled and got all of the snowmobiles and other vehicles to dry land in time, but much of their equipment ended up in the water.
Divers and salvage crews were called in to haul the trailers out of the lake and recover the equipment.
Swanson said the ice was thick enough farther out on the lake, but mild temperatures apparently softened the ice near the shore.
The high Friday was 30, while the low early Saturday was 25, according to the National Weather Service.
Scheer said Saturday's race probably would take place, but a late start was possible.
AP-DETROIT LAKES - About 10 large trailers parked for a major snowmobile race fell into Big Detroit Lake early Saturday after the warm weather weakened the ice.
There were no injuries, but some of the trailers and the equipment inside were completely submerged in the northwestern Minnesota lake.
"It's a terrible situation, especially for the racers," Detroit Lakes Fire Chief Jeff Swanson said. "Nobody's been injured, and that's the positive thing, but we've got a lot of dollars in the water."
Wally Scheer, director of the World Snowmobile Association Pro Ice race, said he got a call about 5 a.m. from a driver who was in one of the trailers and felt it sink. He said race crews scrambled and got all of the snowmobiles and other vehicles to dry land in time, but much of their equipment ended up in the water.
Divers and salvage crews were called in to haul the trailers out of the lake and recover the equipment.
Swanson said the ice was thick enough farther out on the lake, but mild temperatures apparently softened the ice near the shore.
The high Friday was 30, while the low early Saturday was 25, according to the National Weather Service.
Scheer said Saturday's race probably would take place, but a late start was possible.
