MANCHESTER, N.H. (WHDH) - A box truck went through a guardrail and plunged into the the Merrimack River, as part of a series of chain-reaction crashes that left 11 people hurt in Manchester, New Hampshire Wednesday morning, according to the Manchester Fire Department and New Hampshire State Police.
At approximately 7:38 a.m., New Hampshire State Police said troopers responded to a report of a crash involving serious injuries and a 30-foot box truck that broke through the guardrail on the bridge and fell into the Merrimack River on I-293 northbound.
A preliminary investigation determined that up to seven vehicles were involved in a series of at least two chain-reaction crashes. The most severe crash resulted in a minor passenger suffering serious injuries, state police said.
State police said the driver of the box truck, Dylan Pagan Rodriguez, 26, of Fall River, Massachusetts, lost control while driving on the bridge, broke the guardrail, and plunged approximately 50 feet into the river. The truck landed upright in the water, submerging Rodriguez, Manchester Fire said. They said Rodriguez was able to extricate himself from underwater and climb onto the roof through the truck’s broken windshield. He was not seriously hurt, and was taken to the hospital to be checked out.
“Somebody’s very lucky today because they were standing on the roof of a truck when we rescued him,” said Bedford, New Hampshire Fire Chief Frank Fraitzl.
Eleven people were hurt in the crashes, and seven of those hurt were taken to the hospital.
I-293 was down to one lane for several hours as crews cleared the scene and got the truck out of the water, according to state police.
The truck was eventually pulled from the water and lifted back up onto the bridge with help from Marine Patrol Officers, members of the Bedford Police and Fire Departments, the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office, the New Hampshire Department of Transportation, the New Hampshire Fish and Game Department, and the New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services.
New Hampshire State Police are investigating the crash. Anyone who witnessed or took photos or videos of the crash is asked to contact Trooper Matthew Howe via Matthew.S.Howe@dos.nh.gov or (603) 451-9588.
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