Bob Joseph/WNBF News
Bob Joseph/WNBF News
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A woman walking on Court Street in downtown Binghamton says she narrowly escaped injury when an 8,000-pound construction component fell from an oversize truck to the pavement.

The woman, who identified herself as Michelle from Binghamton, said: "It almost landed on me!"

Michelle said she was walking to a bank when it occurred. She said the last piece on the back of the trailer "hit a pole and it broke apart" from the load. If she'd been "a couple of feet" closer, she said "I probably would have been crushed."

An ornamental street light was damaged and a yield sign at the eastbound approach to the roundabout was knocked down.

Police say the truck was driven by 41-year-old Matthew Gauthier of Kingsford, Michigan. The truck is registered to a company in Illinois.

Investigators say a special hauling permit had been issued by the New York State Department of Transportation.

Police say no tickets were issued as a result of the incident. They say no other vehicles were involved.

Heavy-duty equipment was brought to the scene to remove the component from the street. The item was being transported to a construction site.

A representative of the Indiana-based wide load escort service which was traveling with the rig said he had no information about the incident when he was contacted by a reporter.

 

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