Maine State Police are investigating after a tractor-trailer carrying a massive wind turbine blade flipped Friday morning when the blade smacked into a railroad bridge.
The incident occurred around 5:30 a.m. when the blade, mounted on brackets, hit the train trestle, causing the truck to overturn. Investigators believe the truck was not far enough into the left lane when navigating under the train trestle, resulting in the crash.
The incident occurred at a railroad bridge that crosses over Route 1 in Stockton Springs, a small coastal town. The driver was transporting the blade to Columbia, about 66 miles away, police said.
The bridge sustained mild damage.
The blade’s length — 240 feet — makes it impossible to turn the truck around, police said. Authorities plan to load the blade onto another trailer and take it back to Searsport on Saturday morning.
A portion of Route 1 will remain closed until the blade’s removal.