Two Chicago Park District employees escaped a sinking truck that slid on ice into Lake Michigan Wednesday morning while it was spreading salt near Chicago Avenue.
The truck was traveling on the lakefront trail about 7:15 a.m. when it slipped into the water in the 900 block of North Lake Shore Drive, according to Chicago police.
The occupants were able to escape and crawl to safety before the truck was submerged, police said. They both refused medical treatment.
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A city official said the truck belonged to the Park District. Radio reports indicated the driver lost traction on ice.
A video posted by NBC5 shows a salt truck traveling north on the trail and pivoting sideways before sliding backward into the lake.
Ald. Brendan Reilly (42nd) said in a tweet that the employees were driving a salt truck on the trail before it slipped into the water.
“Glad to know both workers are safe!” Reilly said. “It looks like the Park District will be down one salt truck for a while: it’s currently submerged in the Lake.”
Light snow blanketed the Chicago area Wednesday morning and temperatures measured about 17 degrees, with a windchill of 5 degrees, according to the National Weather Service.
The lakefront bike path was closed from North Avenue to Oak Street as crews worked to remove the vehicle from the water.
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