Tractor-trailer pulls down several utility poles on Massachusetts street

By WCVB Staff

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    STONEHAM, Massachusetts (WCVB) — A road remains closed Thursday after several utility poles came crashing down onto a street in Stoneham, Massachusetts after an incident involving a tractor-trailer.

Fire officials said the truck clipped a low-hanging wire just before 10 a.m. Wednesday on Montvale Avenue, bringing down seven utility poles like dominoes.

The wires landed on four vehicles, a UPS truck and the tractor-trailer. Video from the scene showed the utility poles lying across the street wires on the ground.

The occupant of one of the vehicles could not be freed until power was cut to the downed wires.

“The wires were sparking when they came down, so I knew I could not move because my car was completely flocked with wires. So, I figured the safest option was to stay in the car and just wait for help,” said driver Nadia Vargas.

“I was driving down the road here. The guy got hung up on the wires and started pulling them down one by one, and you pretty quickly realized you’re not going anywhere,” UPS driver Jack Finley said.

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No one was injured, however more than 400 electric customers in the area were left without power.

Traffic lights at Montvale Avenue and the intersection with Interstate 93 were not working, creating significant traffic issues in the area, officials said.

People who live near the crash scene were receiving power from generators as of late Wednesday night.

An environmental cleanup was also called to the area because two transformers that were on the utility poles fell and leaked some coolant onto the roadway and into a nearby stream.

It is unclear when the roadway will reopen.

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