ROCKLAND and SOUTH THOMASTON — “Lucky to be alive” was the phrase uttered at two single-vehicle crashes that Knox County responders dealt with early Thursday morning. Both calls were reported to Knox Regional Communications Center within a minute or two of each other, starting at 1:42 a.m. 

A stretch of Spruce Head Road (Route 73) will be closed for several hours as linesmen work to restore poles and powerlines that were downed after a 2010 Chevy Avalanche lost control and landed on its roof near the intersection of Spruce Head Road and Waterman’s Beach Road, in South Thomaston. The two occupants were able to crawl out of the vehicle and navigate around still-active electrical wires, adding to their panic level, as well as to the discomfort of the first firefighters to arrive on scene. Enter in the whiff of smoke emanating from the vehicle, growing more and more evident until the Avalanche rollover turned into a fully involved car fire, starting in the engine compartment, according to Fire Chief Dave Elwell. 

Inside the vehicle were the operator, Robert Edwards of South Thomaston, and passenger Kendra Hood of Rockland.

With the two occupants safe, and being checked out at Pen Bay Medical Center, the fire department could only wait and watch the flames grow strong while expressing their relief that the wind direction was in their favor, blowing up the road, instead of back into the trees. The wait was for Central Maine Power to arrive and cut the power so that the firefighting could commence. But, CMP was held up at the other crash, in Rockland. Once on scene, the linesman needed to find the nearest substation power box, determining that the closest one was at Route 131, which was on the other side of a section of road closed for construction. By the time the electricity was cut, the fire had reduced significantly.

The cause of the crash remains under investigation by the Knox County Sheriff’s Office.

Just prior to 1:42 a.m., KRCC received reports of a vehicle striking a pole near 189 Limerock Street. According to Rockland Police Sgt. Scott Redmun, the single occupant had been traveling eastbound on Limerock when she lost control and hit a pole near the Congregational Church, spinning the vehicle so that it came to a stop facing north. The driver had minor injuries to her face. However, the incident pulled down a transformer and cut power to the Limerock/Broadway traffic lights. Speed was very likely a factor, according to Redmun.

The driver, Matilda Hood, of Rockland, was charged with Imprudent Speed and Failure to maintain control and of a motor vehicle.

Rockland Fire and EMS responded to the Limerock crash. 

Knox County Sheriff’s deputies, South Thomaston Fire and Ambulance services all responded to Spruce Head Road. St. George Fire also responded at South Thomaston’s request due to initial unsurety of the situation’s gravity.