The scene of an incident on Montvale Avenue between Lindenwood Road and Maple Street in which seven utility poles all fell over at the same time. (Courtesy Stoneham Police and Fire Departments) The scene of an incident on Montvale Avenue between Lindenwood Road and Maple Street in which seven utility poles all fell over at the same time. (Courtesy Stoneham Police and Fire Departments) The scene of an incident on Montvale Avenue between Lindenwood Road and Maple Street in which seven utility poles all fell over at the same time. (Courtesy Stoneham Police and Fire Departments) The scene of an incident on Montvale Avenue between Lindenwood Road and Maple Street in which seven utility poles all fell over at the same time. (Courtesy Stoneham Police and Fire Departments)
STONEHAM — Police Chief James McIntyre and Acting Fire Chief Dave Eastman report that the Stoneham Police and Fire Departments have closed a portion of Montvale Avenue due to seven utility poles coming down.
Members of the public are being asked to avoid the area, as Montvale Avenue is expected to be closed for an extended period of time.
On Wednesday, March 1, at 9:34 a.m., the Stoneham Police and Fire Departments began receiving over two dozen 911 calls reporting that multiple utility poles had fallen on Montvale Avenue between Lindenwood Road and Maple Street, and that the occupant of a vehicle in the area was trapped by downed wires.
The vehicle was not struck by a utility pole, but the occupant of the vehicle could not be freed from the vehicle until power was cut to downed wires. There are no reported injuries.
Also as a result of the incident, Eversource is reporting that 435 customers in the area are without power, and traffic lights at Montvale Avenue and the intersection with Interstate 93 are not working, creating significant traffic issues in the area.
It is not clear from an initial investigation what caused the utility poles to fall over in succession. Police and firefighters remain at the scene investigating, and are being assisted with traffic management by Woburn Police.
The Stoneham Fire Department has also sent a Hazardous Materials (Hazmat) team to the scene since two transformers were on utility poles that fell and those transformers are now leaking. The state Department of Environmental Protection has been notified.
“We are still investigating exactly what caused all seven utility poles to come down at the same time, but we are sure that Montvale Avenue will be closed in this area for an extended period of time,” said Chief McIntyre. “We’re asking the public to avoid the area to ease traffic congestion as we respond to this incident.”