A runaway 10-wheel truck plummeted into an El Cerrito home yesterday causing both vehicle and house to burst into flames.
The San Jose driver was ejected on impact and found with broken legs underneath the burning vehicle, said police Detective Sgt. Shawn Maples, who was one of the first to arrive at the scene on Moeser Lane. Hearing cries inside the blaze, Maples was able to locate and pull the injured man to safety with the combined help of police Chief Scott Kirkland and Detective Ken Zinc.
"I just wanted to get him out of there," said Maples.
Before careening into the single-story home, the asphalt truck smashed into a Honda car badly enough that it had to be cut open to free the driver of the car. Also left in the truck's path of destruction was a snapped power line, an electrician's vehicle knocked clear into an adjacent street and an occupied SUV that was pushed into nearby shrubbery.
Across the street from the accident, neighbor Ruben Sharma was shocked by the wake of destruction in front of him, "First, I thought it was a major earthquake."
The accident caused a power outage in El Cerrito, neighboring towns and both cities Berkeley and Richmond.
Only the driver of the asphalt truck suffered serious injuries and is listed in stable condition at John Muir Medical Center in nearby Walnut Creek. His name has not been released to the public.
Plummeted? I don't think that's the right word. The truck crashed; it didn't fall.
ReplyDeleteYou don't tell me about the power outage until the end of the story. I'd put it higher. Power outages impact a lot of people.
Good description of rescue.
careering, not careening
Sharma's quote needs attribution. It should also be get its own sentence in its own paragraph. As written, it's a run-on sentence.
Good close.
17-2(late)=15/20