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Truck spills a load of big logs on the ferry ramp in Edmonds

Published 11:46 am Monday, December 28, 2020

By Ian Davis-Leonard

Ferry passengers watch as logs are moved after a semitruck hauling large logs spilled its cargo on the ramp of the Edmonds ferry terminal, stranding the ferry Spokane at the dock, on Monday, Dec. 28, 2020 in Edmonds, Washington. Approximately 80 cars and passengers waited for hours for the logs to be cleared. (Andy Bronson / The Herald)
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Ferry passengers watch as logs are moved after a semitruck hauling large logs spilled its cargo on the ramp of the Edmonds ferry terminal, stranding the ferry Spokane at the dock, on Monday, Dec. 28, 2020 in Edmonds, Washington. Approximately 80 cars and passengers waited for hours for the logs to be cleared. (Andy Bronson / The Herald)

Ferry passengers watch as logs are moved after a semitruck hauling large logs spilled its cargo on the ramp of the Edmonds ferry terminal, stranding the ferry Spokane at the dock, on Monday, Dec. 28, 2020 in Edmonds, Washington. Approximately 80 cars and passengers waited for hours for the logs to be cleared. (Andy Bronson / The Herald)
Ferry passengers watch as logs are moved after a semitruck spilled its cargo Monday on the ramp of the Edmonds ferry terminal, stranding the MV Spokane at the dock. (Andy Bronson / The Herald)
Ferry passengers watch as logs are moved after a semitruck spilled its cargo Monday on the ramp of the Edmonds ferry terminal, stranding the MV Spokane at the dock. (Andy Bronson / The Herald)
Washington State Patrol officers talk after a semitruck hauling large logs spilled its cargo on the ramp of the Edmonds ferry terminal. (Andy Bronson / The Herald)
State ferry workers and passengers inspect the pile of logs blocking the ramp of the Edmonds ferry terminal. (Andy Bronson / The Herald)
A semitruck hauling large logs spilled its cargo on the ramp of the Edmonds ferry terminal Monday, stranding the MV Spokane at the dock. (Andy Bronson / The Herald)
From the bridge of the MV Spokane, a Washington State Ferries crew takes photos of spilled logs blocking the ramp of the Edmonds terminal on Monday. (Andy Bronson / The Herald)
A load of logs blocks the loading ramp at the Edmonds ferry terminal Monday morning. This view is from the MV Spokane, looking toward shore. (Michael Galligan / Special to The Herald)

EDMONDS — A semitruck hauling large logs spilled its cargo on the ramp of the Edmonds ferry terminal about 11 a.m. Monday, stranding vehicles aboard the ferry Spokane for several hours.

Service resumed around 2:30 p.m. after logs were removed from the ramp area by a log-loader mounted on a second truck and after an inspection of the ferry dock.

Boats on the Edmonds-Kingston route ceased operating during the delay. The other boat on the route, the Walla Walla, waited at the Kingston dock.

“There are logs and parts of a log truck all the way across that transfer stand, the ramp and on the boat itself,” said Ian Sterling, a Washington State Ferries spokesperson, before the “mess” was untangled.

Sterling said the log removal was a race against time because of the possibility of infrastructure damage from the weight of the logs and the ramp’s movement as the tide shifted.

There were no reports of injuries, and it wasn’t clear how the accident happened. The Spokane was off-loading vehicles in Edmonds after the 10:40 a.m. sailing from Kingston.

Approximately 150 cars and their passengers were stuck on the boat, Sterling said. Walk-on passengers were able to exit immediately, but those who drove on were asked to stay with their vehicles until the logs’ removal.

“Won’t be getting off this ferry soon,” tweeted passenger Michael Galligan, who photographed the scene from the car deck of the Spokane.

Trooper Kevin Fortino with Washington State Patrol said an investigation was ongoing to determine if the driver would receive a citation.

Service disruption planned for Mukilteo

Ferry-goers can also expect closures in Mukilteo and Clinton on Tuesday. Service between the terminals is cancelled as officials prepare for the opening of the new Mukilteo terminal at 5 p.m.

After the 12:15 a.m. sailing from Mukilteo Tuesday morning, crews will begin moving structures from the old terminal to the new location one-third of a mile down the waterfront.

The route will return to the normal schedule with the 5:35 p.m. departure from Clinton, followed by the inaugural sailing from the Mukilteo terminal at 6:10 p.m.

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