A paving truck rolled over into Southview Cemeter after apparently losing its brakes coming down steep West Shaft Road.
NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — An asphalt truck plowed into Southview Cemetery at about 10:50 on Thursday morning after apparently losing its brakes coming down steep West Shaft Road.
Church Street was expected to be closed or reduced to one lane during the afternoon for the truck to be removed.
Police Lt. David Sacco said state police are investigating the cause but witnesses told police they heard the Atlantic Paving truck's airhorn as it came down the hill.
The driver took a left at the bottom of West Shaft and the truck, which was filled with cold patch, rolled onto its passenger side on the cemetery's slight incline along Church Street, stopping just a couple feet from a tree. Asphalt spilled onto the ground but no gravestones appeared to damaged.
Dean's Towing was called to remove the vehicle and city crews were dispatched to remove the cold patch. Joseph Dean said the truck's removal was completed by the spilled patch and because the dump body had come off its guides.
It was estimated that the removal would take one to two hours. Both lanes of Church Street were closed at West Shaft Road shortly after noontime.
Updated information, Jan. 19, 9:15 a.m.: The truck was a 1997 Mack 600 registered to Atlantic Paving of Peabody.
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The driver is fine but was shaken. When he realized the brakes were gone, he did the best he could to avoid hurting people in cars that were in traffic ahead of him. I'm thinking he avoided potential fatalities of people in the cars. The truck loaded with asphalt and is a tri-axle.
Editor: One of the officers thought the driver did a good job handling the truck. I Agree (8) - I Disagree (0)
from: im a co- worker of the driver and i think he made the perfect decition of what he did , in an uncrrollablle experience like that . i was in north adams the same day trying trying to navigate those hills and 6-or7-8%- downgrades ... he
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