LYNNFIELD, Mass. — Neighbors in Lynnfield are still stunned after a tractor-trailer carrying a full load of scrap metal rolled over on Salem Street, taking down trees, utility poles, and power lines along the way.
“I heard this really loud crash,” said neighbor Kai Zheng. “I looked outside the window, and there was the semi-truck.”
The truck overturned, spilling its load and leaving a trail of debris across the area.
“It was completely tipped over. Everything inside the truck was out,” Zheng said.
The crash also knocked down several trees, utility poles, and power lines, creating a dangerous scene for first responders and residents.
“The truck was leaking liquids, and then wires were tangled up with it, and firefighters were telling us to step back,” neighbor David Donegan said.
Residents on both sides of Salem Street gathered to watch as crews worked to secure the area.
“Saw it and was like, ‘What’s going on here?’ It was crazy,” one neighbor said.
Many said they had trouble believing what they were seeing.
“In my mind, I’m like, ‘What just happened? There’s no way this just happened,’” Zheng said.
Despite the dramatic crash, neighbors say the dump truck driver escaped without serious injuries.
“The driver is totally fine. I talked to him,” said Kosar Ali, owner of Lynnfield House of Pizza. “He said, ‘Oh, I had a flat tire,’ but the tire looked totally fine to me.”
Cleanup efforts stretched for hours and continued well into the evening. Crews first had to bring in heavy equipment to lift the truck upright before work could begin clearing the wreckage and restoring power.
“I was concerned it was going to just go over the other side, or only the cab would come up and the rest of the truck, because there is tons of scrap metal in it, would fall off,” said Brian Magrane, who was stuck in traffic nearby. “But it didn’t.”
For neighbors waiting for power to be restored, the hope was simple.
“Hopefully I’ll get to watch the baseball game tonight,” Donegan joked.
As cleanup continued, residents said they were focused on just how much worse the crash could have been.
“I’m just really glad it did not touch my house because I was inside,” Zheng said.
“Thank god it was just trees and grass,” Donegan added. “It could have been worse.”
“Those things can be repaired,” Magrane said. “The guy is OK. Nobody else was hurt.”
Neighbors say there is still plenty of cleanup ahead, including removing scrap metal and repairing damaged infrastructure. But they say that’s a small price to pay considering no one was seriously hurt.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.
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