The Edmonds/Kingston ferry route is back in service after a log truck lost its load on the ferry ramp in Edmonds.
The truck was exiting the ferry when the heavy timber fell from the truck, blocking ferry traffic in both directions. About a dozen logs, each one approximately 2-feet-wide and 80-feet-long, spilled off the truck.
There are no injuries to report.
The incident happened shortly before 11 a.m. Monday. The logging company brought in equipment to remove the logs from the ramp and ferry service resumed just before 2:30 p.m.
Passenger Michael Galligan was making his way to the mainland from Port Townsend via the Kingston ferry dock.
Just as he was about to get off the boat he the 'jam' happened.
"Nobody can really remember this ever happening before," said Galligan. "Everybody's really bummed out about having to wait so long."
A logging truck was driving off the ferry when Galligan said something went wrong and the driver dumped his load.
"He was trying to corner and center himself," said Galligan. "The first half of the truck made it up. The back half hit the side right where the ramp meets the boat and tipped over."
It's unclear what caused the truck to lose its load of heavy timber, but Washington State Ferries spokesperson Ian Sterling speculated the truck may have hit a ferry girder while offloading, sending the logs off the truck.
"We're really lucky no one was seriously injured or even killed," said Sterling. "Obviously, those were really big, heavy pieces of timber."
Sterling said the boat was about two-thirds full at the time.
Approximately 150 drivers and their passengers were stranded, along with all those waiting to board the ferry in both Edmonds and Kingston.
It took about three hours for crews to remove the logs and, make sure both the ferry dock and the truck were not damaged and clear the way for passengers.
Ferry passengers had the option to wait, try the Seattle-Bainbridge route, or drive around from the south end, which takes about two hours.
The State Patrol is investigating to determine whether the truck driver should be cited or fined.