Kiryas Joel, NY – Close to 2,000 residents of Kiryas Joel were without electricity this afternoon as a dump truck driving through the village overturned after striking a utility pole.
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The dump truck was driving down Dinev Court with its rear box in the raised position at approximately 2 PM this afternoon when the accident took place.
“It ripped through the electrical wires, hit a utility pole and flipped over,” Moshe Vitriol, Kiryas Joel’s director of public safety told VIN News.
The 81 year old driver of the truck, owned by Empire Drilling and Blasting of Middletown, was taken to Orange Regional Medical Center with minor injuries, said Vitriol.
The Kiryas Joel School District, which was holding employee meetings today prior to the opening of school, was evacuated.
1750 village residents were affected by the accident, according to Mike Donovan, a spokesperson for Orange and Rockland Utilities.
“1,300 were restored within 40 minutes,” said Donovan. “About 450 are still out but we are working on that right now.”
Donovan said that all Kiryas Joel residents would be back online by 11 PM tonight.
an 81 year old should not be operating a dump truck (nor drive)