Authorities: Empty Bed Of Roll-Off Truck Was Raised When It Hit RR Bridge In Hawthorne

UPDATE: A driver was hospitalized after the raised bed of his roll-off truck struck a railroad bridge and landed on its side Monday morning in Hawthorne, authorities said.

It took several hours to clean up the spill and clear the wreckage at the Wagaraw Road railroad bridge in Hawthorne.
Photo Credit: *DAILY VOICE photo*

Jerry DeMarco

06/14/2021 2:22 p.m.

The driver apparently had just delivered a trash container and drove off without lowering the bed before it struck the nearby Wagaraw Road bridge at Lincoln Street at 6:49 a.m., said Nancy Snyder, NJ Transit's chief media relations and communications officer.

He was taken to St. Joseph’s Regional Medical Center in Paterson with injuries that weren’t considered life-threatening, she said, adding that he also received a summons for careless driving.

Firefighters cleaned up a large leak from the saddle tank and hydraulic system.

“Companies worked for close to 3 hours to contain the spill and secure the scene,” the Hawthorne Fire Department reported.

Passaic County HAZMAT also was notified.

NJ Transit inspectors later deemed the bridge safe and service was resumed roughly 90 minutes later.

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