News

Aug 22, 2023

Bellingham home may need to be demolished after tractor

BELLINGHAM — A man who crashed a tractor trailer into a home Thursday morning on Hartford Avenue may have suffered a medical emergency that led to the incident, Police Chief Ken Fitzgerald said.

BELLINGHAM — A man who crashed a tractor trailer into a home Thursday morning on Hartford Avenue may have suffered a medical emergency that led to the incident, Police Chief Ken Fitzgerald said.

"That's the preliminary thought, but it's still under investigation," he said.

The tractor-trailer was heading eastbound on Hartford Avenue at about 9:30 a.m. when it drove off the road and crashed into a single-family home at 107 Hartford St., which sits at the corner of Nason Street.

Fitzgerald said the tractor-trailer was carrying construction vehicles. The truck belongs to The N.i.c.e. Company, a construction equipment supplier out of Hopedale.

"The truck has heavy damage, and the house has heavy damage," said Fitzgerald. "He (the driver) was in critical condition, according to the Fire Department."

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The driver was transported to UMass-Memorial Medical Center in Worcester by medical rescue helicopter. As of 10:30 a.m. Friday, there was no update on the status of the driver.

During a press conference later in the day, Fire Chief Bill Miller said the home will have to be demolished. He also said there was a dog inside the tractor-trailer at the time of the crash.

"The dog is fine. It's in animal control's care," Miller said.

Fitzgerald, during the press conference, said speed did not appear to be a factor in the crash but there was no indication the driver tried to use the brakes prior to striking the house.

According to the town assessor's office database, the home is owned by Sophie Shahtay. It was built in 1870 and was last assessed at $277,100.

Miller said nobody was home at the time of the crash.

Both Hartford Avenue and Nason Street were closed to traffic for much of Thursday.

The crash is being investigated by the Massachusetts State Police's commercial vehicle unit and accident reconstruction unit.

Norman Miller can be reached at 508-626-3823 or [email protected]. For up-to-date public safety news, follow him on Twitter @Norman_MillerMW or on Facebook at facebook.com/NormanMillerCrime.