AUBURN — A single-vehicle crash involving a tractor-trailer on Center Street/Route 4 in Auburn Wednesday morning took down several utility poles, forcing officials to close the street in both directions, backing up traffic and cutting power to nearby businesses and homes.
The crash happened at 9:13 a.m. near 901 Center St. in the area of W.D. Matthews Machinery Co. and K & R Auto Sales, police said in a Facebook post. Upon arrival, officers observed downed electrical wires and a transformer laying in the middle of Center Street. Officers immediately shut down traffic in the area as Auburn Public Works crews set up detours for motorists.
Steven Gross, 62, of East Millinocket was operating the tractor-trailer, police said. He experienced a medical episode and veered off the right side of the roadway, striking a Central Maine Power Co. utility pole and snapping it in half. A second utility pole and wires were dragged down as well.
Gross was evaluated by Auburn Fire and Rescue at the scene and was not seriously injured, police said.
CMP reported 427 customers in Auburn and 635 in Turner were without power as of 1 p.m.
The section around the accident remained closed at 4 p.m., with officials saying it would stay likely stay that way into the evening hours.
Motorists were being asked to avoid the area, with traffic being detoured northbound from Center Street to Joline Drive and southbound from Route 4 onto Turner Street.
