Driver hits fire hydrant, causes huge morning mess

By: Chloe Leshner

cleshner@abc6.com

@cleshnerabc6

NORTH ATTLEBORO, Mass. (WLNE) — The freezing temperatures, causing a huge mess this morning in North Attleboro after a driver hit a fire hydrant. Part of Route 1 was shut down for hours and the road was completely coated in ice after a man who fell asleep behind the wheel hit a fire hydrant at 4 this morning.

It was a slippery mess on Route 1 in North Attleboro as water poured out of a fire hydrant for nearly 4 hours after a driver knocked it down early this morning.

"It was a very unfortunate day for this to happen," says Mark Hollowell, the Director of Public Works.

Temperatures were so low that the water created what looked like steam as soon as it hit the cold air. The street and sidewalk were flooded with tons of water, left completely covered in thick ice.

The south bound lane had to be closed for a few hours, slowing down the morning commute for many. And the freezing cold temperatures made it a more difficult and longer fix.

"They couldn’t get the gate that was immediately adjacent to the hydrant and the surrounding gates were filled with millings from a recent paving project that the state did so they had to go get a vactor truck to suck up the millings that were in the gate box, but that froze up because that has water running mechanisms too," says Hollowell.

The water was finally shut off a little after 8 in the morning and a salt truck heavily treated the road before it was back open to traffic.

"We are lucky that as other cars were coming down we didn’t have more accidents due to the ice on the roadway," says Hollowell.

The Director of Public Works says they will seek restitution and expect to get paid back by the person who caused the mess.

(C) WLNE/ABC 6 2017