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This afternoon the Westport Fire Department responded, along with Westport Police and EMS, to an incident on Cross Highway where a falling tree hit a postal truck and knocked down power lines. Cross Highway was closed from Sturges Highway to Bayberry Lane while emergency responders worked to treat the driver of the vehicle and CL&P repaired damage to the downed wires..
The postal vehicle sustained tremendous damage to the front end and passenger cabin.
The driver was able to extricate himself from the vehicle and walk to the Westport EMS ambulance, where he was treated for non-life-threatening injuries and transported to Norwalk Hospital for treatment. Investigators from the U.S. Postal Service and the local postmaster responded to the scene.
CL&P was requested to the scene on a priority to de-energize wires on the ground and around the vehicle that forced responders to delay entering the scene to secure the vehicle. Several surrounding houses were checked for reported problems with partial or no power causing alarm system activations.
Upon receiving the "all clear" from CL&P, crews were able to assess the vehicle and found the engine still running and the vehicle in gear. The vehicle was shut down and stabilized. Town Highway was called in to remove the tree from the vehicle and the U.S. Postal Service had the vehicle towed and the secured the mail from the vehicle.
CL&P remained of the scene to repair the telephone poles and wires and will restore power at some time this evening. Cross Highway remained closed in the area while CL&P completed the repairs. The last fire department unit left the scene at 3:40 p.m.
