AUGUSTA — The 38,000-pound lower portion of a crane slid off a tractor-trailer early Wednesday as the vehicle turned from U.S. Route 201 onto Route 3 and the Cushnoc Crossing bridge.

The machinery ended up in a ditch alongside the road, and no injuries were reported in the 7:38 a.m. accident.

Trooper Patrick Munzing, of the Maine State Police Commercial Vehicles Unit, said the crane piece and the tractor-trailer, which was driven by David Bisson, 52, of Brunswick, both belong to Reed & Reed, Inc., of Woolwich.

He said the load was secured adequately, but that one tire was flat and another underinflated, and the deck of the trailer was slick because of snow and ice.

“A combination of small events led to the crane coming off,” he said.

Around noon, the westbound lanes of Route 3 in that area were closed as workers awaited the arrival of a second crane to lift the machinery onto another flatbed.

The crane part was being carried from Woolwich to Danforth, Munzing said.

Munzing said a summons would be issued because of the flat tire.


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