Drivers on Montvale Avenue in Stoneham, Massachusetts had a terrifying experience on March 1st, when seven utility poles with powerlines collapsed on the road hitting oncoming traffic. Fortunately, no injuries were reported, but the cause of the incident remains undetermined at this time.
Stoneham police received over two dozen 911 calls at 9:34 a.m. on Wednesday, with drivers reporting that multiple utility poles had fallen on Montvale Avenue, between Lindenwood Road and Maple Street. As a result, cars and trucks were hit by power lines, and one occupant was trapped in their vehicle, waiting for power to be cut before safely exiting.
Photos taken by the responders suggest it was pure luck that there were no injuries involved in the incident. In them we can see a white Freightliner truck and a black GMC Arcadia being hit by thick wires, narrowly escaping the wooden utility poles. According to local media, at least two trucks and three cars came in contact with the power lines.
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A total of 435 homes in the area were left without power after the incident, while the nearby traffic lights stopped working causing “significant traffic issues” in the area. Two transformers on the downed utility poles were leaking, prompting the dispatch of a Hazardous Materials team to the scene, who notified the state Department of Environmental Protection.
The Stoneham Police and Fire departments said that the affected portion of Montvale Avenue would remain closed “for an extended period of time” as the investigation continues and have asked drivers to avoid the area.
