RUMFORD —  Selectmen may get their first briefing Thursday, Jan. 17, about last month’s accident involving a Public Works sanding truck on Route 108.

Rumford police Sgt. Doug Maifeld said Thursday afternoon that the red 2001 International truck was damaged beyond repair when it slid on black ice, and then tipped onto its side Sunday, Dec. 9.

However, Town Manager Carlo Puiia said Thursday morning that information is still being collected about whether the damage can be repaired.

“We’ve worked with our insurance company and now we’re gathering the estimate to repair it and the estimate to replace it,” Puiia said.

“We’re hoping to put this on the selectmen’s agenda for next Thursday.”

Maifeld said the accident happened at 4:46 a.m. while driver Dale Roberts, 47, was turning the truck around by driving off Route 108 and through the United Steelworkers Local 900 Union parking lot. He said the truck slid on black ice and started to go sideways.

Maifeld said the wheels left the pavement and hit Nick-N-Dot Drive, a dirt road at the entrance to the new industrial park. When the wheels hit the dirt, the full force of the truck going from pavement to dirt caused it to abruptly stop and tip over onto its side, spilling its load of sand, he said.

He said Roberts, who is also a Rumford firefighter, suffered bruises and cuts and was taken to Rumford Hospital.

tkarkos@sunjournal.com


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