Crews from Central Maine Power Co. and the Skowhegan Fire Department deal with downed power lines and debris Sunday afternoon after a tractor-trailer hit utility poles and propane tanks near 125 Waterville Road in Skowhegan. The crash required traffic be detoured. Rich Abrahamson/Morning Sentinel
SKOWHEGAN — A section of U.S. Route 201 in Skowhegan was closed to traffic for several hours Sunday after a tractor-trailer went off the road and hit propane tanks and utility poles.
As of 4:30 p.m., the highway was expected to be closed in both directions between South Factory Street and Chamberlain Street for about three more hours as cleanup efforts continued, officials said.
The truck jackknifed and crashed into four propane tanks near Quinn Hardware at 125 Waterville Road at about 12:30 p.m., according to Chief Ronnie Rodriguez of the Skowhegan Fire Department.
The driver of the truck was taken to Redington-Fairview General Hospital in Skowhegan to be evaluated for injuries, Rodriguez said. No other vehicles or people were involved in the crash.
U.S. Route 201 in Skowhegan is closed Sunday afternoon after a tractor-trailer went off the road and hit propane tanks and utility poles near 125 Waterville Road. The crash required traffic be detoured. Skowhegan Fire Department photo
The truck was heading north and carrying a load of wood chips. No details about the cause of the wreck were available Sunday evening.
The crash took down two utility poles, bringing down power lines and transformers containing chemicals known as polychlorinated biphenyls, or PCBs, Rodriguez said.
PCBs were used as coolants and lubricants in transformers, capacitors and other electrical equipment, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. The manufacturing of the chemicals was stopped in 1977 because of evidence that they build up in the environment and can cause health problems.
There was no extensive leaking of the chemicals, Rodriguez said. The Fire Department and Bob’s Cash Fuel took care of the propane leaking from the damaged tanks.
“There are no environmental concerns,” Rodriguez said.
Crews from Central Maine Power Co. and the Skowhegan Fire Department deal with downed power lines and debris Sunday afternoon after a tractor-trailer hit utility poles and propane tanks near 125 Waterville Road in Skowhegan. The crash required traffic be detoured. Rich Abrahamson/Morning Sentinel
Crews from Clean Harbors, an environmental cleanup company, were on their way to Skowhegan as of 4:30 p.m., according to Rodriguez.
Central Maine Power Co. was working on the scene Sunday afternoon to repair the downed utility poles and lines.
Area businesses, including Quinn Hardware and Somerset Sports & Fitness, posted on social media that they were closed Sunday because of the crash.
The Skowhegan Police Department and the Fairfield and Benton Fire-Rescue Department assisted at the scene, according to Somerset County’s emergency dispatch log.
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