FARMINGTON — A mix of snow and freezing rain kept police, firefighters, dispatchers and other emergency responders, and plow and tow truck drivers busy Tuesday.

Several tractor-trailer trucks jack-knifed, blocking major routes in Franklin County beginning about 6 a.m.  

Minor accidents were also reported throughout the day with no serious injuries in Franklin and northern Androscoggin counties before 6 a.m. They continued through the afternoon.

Franklin County Chief Deputy Steven Lowell came upon a jack-knifed tractor-trailer about 6 a.m. that blocked a section of Route 4 on the steep grade north of Smalls Falls in Township E, Sheriff Scott Nichols Sr. wrote in an email. 

About 40 minutes later, Nichols assisted the driver of a tractor-trailer that was stopped in the middle of Mile Hill Road, also known Route 27, in New Sharon blocking traffic trying to ascend the hill. Maine Department of Transportation workers spread salt to allow the rig to move.

A tractor-trailer truck was stuck on Oakes Street in Farmington, near Tire Warehouse, at about 7:30 a.m. Commuters were asked to reroute by way of Bridge Street, Main Street or Town Farm Road.

Norton Hill Road in Strong, near South Strong Road, was shut down for about an hour after the driver of a box truck full of furniture attempted to turn and jack-knifed in the road, state police Trooper Randy Hall wrote in an email. 

Hall issued driver Starlyn Polanco, 23, of Salem, Massachusetts, a summons on a charge of operating without a license in Maine because his Massachusetts license was suspended, Hall wrote. 

Multiple tractor-trailer trucks blocked all lanes of Route 27, near Basin Hill Road in New Vineyard, for a while, according to Franklin County Communications Center post on its Facebook Page.

Dispatchers kept motorists aware of traffic delays, accidents, and road and weather advisories. 

dperry@sunmediagroup.net

A box truck full of furniture blocks Norton Hill Road in Strong near South Strong Road, after the driver attempted to turn it and it jack-knifed, state police Trooper Randy Hall wrote in an email. (Maine State Police photo)