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Man Was Trapped in Truck After Tree Comes Down in Montville

A man was trapped in a U-Haul truck for hours in the Oakdale section of Montville after a tree came down on Route 161, taking a utility pole and wires with it.

Firefighters said the man was driving a 14-foot U-Haul down Route 161 in Oakdale when a tree came crashing down, bringing a utility pole and wires down with it. The U-Haul was carrying a car on a trailer behind it.

There were wires in front of it so the driver could not move forward or back up.

The driver was told to stay put because first responders were unsure whether those wires were live. The incident commander reports that when Eversource arrived they were unable to verify the status of the wires because they aren’t grounded. The fire department attempted to rescue the man, but he refused, choosing to stay with his belongings instead.

Route 161 will remain closed indefinitely at Flanders and Butlertown roads. Eversource is waiting for both a tree crew and line crew. They do not expect to have the road reopened before daylight.

Local firefighters have responded to multiple incidents across the state Monday morning. Getting to emergencies in the middle of the storm was a challenge for first responders.

The Oakdale Fire Chief tells NBC Connecticut they were called to three homes that were hit by trees.

"A tree that came down on a house and we were actually blocked trying to make a response to that house right away," said Oakdale Fire Captain Rich Waselik.

One on Lake Drive East sustained significant damage. A large old tree is now resting on its roof. The chief said the couple who lives there is now staying with family.

A mobile home was also damaged by a tree, but first responders said the people who live there elected to stay.

More than 1,400 Eversource customers lost power during and after the storm.

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