Groomer falls through ice (photo)

A groomer operator managed to escape unharmed before the machine he was using plunged through the ice and into the Goulais River early this morning, says a snowmobile club official.

The incident took place around 3 a.m. as the operator was attempting to push snow from the trail over the river's banks, said Garnet Greenwood, president of Algoma Snow Plan, which includes the Sault Trailblazers Snowmobile Club.

"The groomer is destroyed, but the operator got out no problem," said Greenwood.

The groomer was working on the Sault club's D Trail, which connects Sault Ste. Marie to Searchmont and forms part of a province-wide route.

Greenwood said the groomer, one of three owned by the Sault club, has been removed from the river and taken back to the club's garage where it will be inspected.

PHOTO: A loyal SooToday reader supplied the photo of a Sault Trailblazers groomer being removed from the Goulais River.