Person Trapped, 400 Without Power After 7 Stoneham Utility Poles Fall

Over two dozen 911 calls reported seven utility poles falling over simultaneously, an incident which caused one person to be trapped in his vehicle, officials say.

The scene of an incident on Montvale Avenue between Lindenwood Road and Maple Street in which seven utility poles all fell over at the same time.
Photo Credit: *Stoneham Fire and Police Departments*

Morgan Gonzales

03/01/2023 11:37 a.m.

Montvale Avenue is expected to be closed for an extended period of time after the utility poles fell over around 9:30 a.m. on Wednesday, March 1, according to a joint statement from the Stoneham Police Department and the Stoneham Fire Department.

The poles, all located on Montvale Avenue between Lindenwood Road and Maple Street, did not cause any injuries, but one driver was trapped in their car until the power to the utility poles was shut off.

Eversource power company and the Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency estimate that around 435 customers in the area are without power because of the incident.

Two of the fallen poles held transformers, which began to leak because of the fall. A Hazmat team was sent to the area because of the leaks, and the state Department of Environmental Protection was notified.

Traffic lights at the intersection of Montvale Avenue and Interstate 93 are non-functional, creating significant traffic issues.

Woburn police are assisting with traffic flow in the aftermath of the falls.

Why the poles fell over at the same time was not immediately clear, the police and fire department said.

The incident is under investigation, check back here for updates as they are available.

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