River Road at the bottom of Corning Hill Road and Route 144 in Glenmont was closed on Monday, Feb. 5, after a tractor-trailer driver lost control of his rig and drove off a bridge into the ice of the Normans Kill around 10 a.m.
Brian E. Douglas, 35, of Clarksburg, Mass., crawled out of his cab and walked across the ice waiting for emergency personnel to arrive. He received minor injuries.
Douglas was driving north on River Road when he attempted to slow down approaching the Albany city line. The rig then crashed through the guardrails, going off the side of the bridge, plunging into the icy water.
The cab portion of the vehicle became partially submerged. The trailer remained suspended on the bridge for several hours until it was removed from the scene late Monday afternoon.
Selkirk Fire Department, Bethlehem police and several other emergency responders were on the scene throughout the day.
State Department of Environmental Conservation officials were called to the scene because anti-freeze and diesel spilled into the Normans Kill.
Bridge inspectors were called to the scene to determine if the bridge is safe for travel. A decision is expected in the next couple of days.
The driver was taken to St. Peter’s Hospital according to Selkirk district No. 4 Fire Chief Bill Borger.
Traffic was re-routed up Corning Hill Road while emergency crews worked to remove the trailer from the scene.
The location of the accident was next door to Main Care Energy fuel station.
The cause of the accident remains under investigation, and River Road remains closed until further notice.
The truck Douglas drove is owned by McMullen Trucking of Selkirk.
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