Car Crashes Off Route 8 North Bridge, Onto Train Tracks

Beacon Hose responded Monday afternoon to a severe motor vehicle accident as a car careened off the bridge that carries Route 8 North over the Naugatuck River and landed on the railroad tracks near the river.

The initial dispatch came in at 12:57 p.m. for a motor vehicle accident near the intersection of Cold Spring Road and Lopus Road Extension, which is one of the least trafficked areas in Beacon Falls. The accident was first reported by a man who was fishing in the Naugatuck River, and units in response received an update that the vehicle had fallen from Route 8 — a vertical drop of 50-75 feet.

Chief Brian DeGeorge was first on scene and reported a single vehicle that was overturned on the railroad tracks with the driver out of the vehicle. The man was the sole occupant of the vehicle and was likely ejected from car. He was transported on a full trauma alert to Waterbury Hospital with serious injuries.

Beacon Hose requested Metro North to hold train service on the Waterbury line, and service was stopped at Naugatuck. Route 8 North was also closed for an extended period near the start of the bridge and traffic was rerouted through downtown Beacon Falls via Exit 23 as Connecticut State Police investigated the crash.

BH-1, BH-6, and Rescue 4 were on the assignment. Beacon Hose units cleared the scene at 1:44 p.m., and the highway reopened shortly after 4 p.m.

The news report done by Fox 61 is below.

Share your thoughts