Driver unable to swim waits atop crashed big rig in Massachusetts river, cops say
A tractor-trailer driver unable to swim crashed his big rig off a bridge and landed in the Charles River in Massachusetts, police said.
They were “remarkably unhurt” and climbed atop their truck surrounded by water while awaiting rescue on the frigid day on Feb. 26, the State Police Association of Massachusetts posted Feb. 27 to Facebook.
Video shows the truck flying off of the bridge with a plume of smoke following before it plunges into the icy river and flips over, creating a giant splash, according to footage provided to McClatchy News by the association. A couple of divers hopped in the icy river and rescued the driver.
The tractor-trailer was transporting U.S. mail, including several packages that were recovered from the river, police said.
The crash happened near a ramp from Route 95 North to the Pike in Weston and caused the road’s shutdown for several hours, according to authorities.
The driver was able to get out of the tractor-trailer’s cabin before it sank into the river, according to the Weston Fire Department’s Feb. 27 Twitter post. The department also responded to the scene.
He was taken to Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston for evaluation, and U.S. postal inspectors were alerted to the incident, state police posted on Twitter.
“At this time, the cause of the crash is under investigation,” the State Police Association of Massachusetts said in its statement.
Weston is located 16 miles outside of Boston.
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