SHUTESBURY — A man was flown by helicopter to Baystate Medical Center in Springfield after suffering serious injuries Wednesday morning in an incident involving a garbage truck on West Pelham Road.
The Shutesbury Fire Department and other local emergency response agencies responded to the incident, which occurred shortly after 9 a.m. The incident involved USA Hauling & Recycling and the man, who was an employee, experienced significant injuries, according to Fire Chief Walter Tibbetts.
“(They had) trauma to the leg,” Tibbetts said Wednesday morning. “They’re being transported by helicopter.”
As of Wednesday afternoon, Tibbetts said the man was stabilized at the hospital.
“As far as we know,” Tibbetts said, “he is in stable condition.”
Tibbetts said he could not comment further on the extent of injuries and it was “too early to confirm” what exactly happened.
By the afternoon, the Shutesbury Police Department had concluded its accident reconstruction and West Pelham Road was reopened, but the incident is still under investigation.
“I have no idea how long that is going to take,” Tibbetts said. “It’s not my purview.”
Calls to the Shutesbury Police Department and to USA Hauling & Recycling seeking more information were not returned by deadline.
Tibbetts said Wednesday afternoon that the emergency response to the incident went as well as it could, and he and his crew were doing OK.
“Everybody is doing generally well,” Tibbetts said. “Definitely a traumatic scene.”
Chris Larabee can be reached at clarabee@recorder.com or 413-930-4081.