FULTONVILLE, N.Y. (NEWS10) — A family in Fultonville spent Wednesday picking up the pieces of their house after a dump truck veered off the New York State Thruway and crashed into their house Tuesday morning.
Steve Rivera, his two sons and their three pets were home at the time of the crash. Rivera said he was in the living room getting ready for work when the truck hit his trailer.
“The truck hit, shook the whole house, I honestly thought like a bomb went off or something it was crazy,” said Rivera.
The dump truck took out Rivera’s entire bedroom, moments after Rivera had left that room.
“I thank god because if I had been in my bedroom ten minutes longer, I would’ve been in my bedroom that tree could’ve turned a different way, my son would’ve gotten ripped out of bed it was pretty crazy,” said Rivera.
Right next door, Rivera’s son who is in his 20s, was sleeping. He was suddenly woken up by the sound of a tree bursting through his walls, caused by the crash. Some neighbors like Jack Phillips said the sound of the crash echoed throughout the neighborhood.
“It was just a whole bunch of screeching and rubbing and then bam! And that’s when it hit Steve’s trailer,” said Phillips.
According to New York State Police, the dump truck was traveling eastbound on the thruway around 7:30 Tuesday morning when it veered into the leftbound shoulder into the median, crossing the center guide rail, going across all westbound lanes, down an embankment and into the trailer home. Officers believe the driver suffered a medical emergency during the crash.
“I started yelling at the other truck drivers, like ‘Get him out, get him out,’ because as I went around I saw all the kerosine and diesel leaking,” said Rivera.
Police said the truck ruptured a home heating oil tank, resulting in a 150 gallon oil spill. The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation is expected to clean it up soon.
“My concern was thank god there was no fire,” said Phillips. “I’m like what 50 yards from it could’ve been this way too or it could’ve hit Lynn’s barn going this way too so we were lucky.”
Phillips said living so close to the thruway, he was worried about cars coming down here before. However, Steve never imagined something like this could happen. Now, he feels grateful nobody was hurt.
“Items can be replaced, my sons were okay, the pets were okay and that’s what matters you know what I’m saying, this is all just stuff,” said Rivera.
Unfortunately, Rivera said the damage is irreparable. He and his sons are currently staying elsewhere until they can figure out a new plan. Police said the driver of the dump truck sustained minor injuries and was transported to Nathan Littauer Hospital for treatment.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by PostX News and is published from a syndicated feed.)
