Dump truck crashes through Belmont utility pole at 4 a.m.; driver's injuries said not serious

BELMONT — An empty tri-axle dump truck went off the road on Route 106 at about 4 a.m. yesterday morning, snapped a utility pole and slammed into a tree.

Fire Chief David Parenti said the unidentified 73-year-old male driver was taken by the Belmont Fire Department to Lakes Region General Hospital for what he described as minor injuries.

Parenti said the accident caused the truck to leak diesel fuel and the leak brought members of the state Department of Environmental Services to evaluate. He said DES representatives will return within a few days to determine if and how much of the contaminated soil should be removed.

He also said Public Service of New Hampshire responded and was able to prop up the electrical wires and, to his knowledge, there was no power outage. He said PSNH has since replaced the pole.

Parenti said the rear end of the truck became mired in the mud and it took two wreckers to pull it out.

He said Belmont and State Police, Belmont Fire personnel, PSNH and DES personnel remained on the scene for about seven hours.

He said he does not know the cause of the accident.