Gravel dump truck crashes through Civil War-era covered bridge falling into Maine river

Horror has ensued after a man decided to drive a 36,000-pound dump truck filled with gravel across a Civil War-era covered wooden bridge. 

The 19th-century Babb's Bridge in Gorham collapsed on Friday at around 12:45 pm when a Ford F-750 dump truck, loaded with crushed gravel, attempted to cross the fragile structure.

Driver Joshua Polewarzyk, 37, of Limington, attempted to cross the 183-year-old bridge when its wooden floor gave way - sending the vehicle plunging into the river below. 

The truck, weighing approximately 36,000 pounds, was nearly 30,000 pounds over the bridge's posted 6,000-pound capacity.

Maine Department of Transportation spokesperson Paul Merrill called the incident 'unprecedented' saying that 'this is a first' he's ever seen. 

'People who I work with, who have been around for decades, do not know of any instance like this happening, in any bridge in MaineDOT's bridge inventory. This is a first, I believe,' Merrill said to News Center Maine.

In a press release, Gorham Police said 'the excessive weight of the vehicle caused the wooden floor of the bridge structure to give way.' 

The truck rolled over, leaving its top partially submerged.

Fortunately, Polewarzyk managed to escape with only minor injuries.

'The operator was able to self-extricate himself from the truck and only sustained minor injuries, according to the news release.

'There is a detour that's probably two or three miles, which in the grand scheme of things is not terribly long. But we know it's going to be an inconvenience and we know it's going to be an inconvenience for the better part of the rest of the year,' Merrill added. 

The bridge, which spans the Presumpscot River between Gorham and Windham, was originally constructed in 1840 and rebuilt in 1976 following a fire. It's made of timber wood.

'It was Maine's oldest covered bridge until it was burned by vandals in 1973,' the press release wrote. 'MaineDOT crews rebuilt an exact replica of the bridge using lumber milled in Gorham and historically authentic construction techniques.'

'The replacement bridge opened in 1976. The bridge is wood and the abutments on either side of the river are stone.' 

It will remain closed for several months as officials assess the damage and plan repairs.

'Due to a motor vehicle accident, the covered bridge on Hurricane Road in Gorham will be closed for an undetermined amount of time. Please find a safe alternate route,' Gorham Police Department announced on Facebook.

MaineDOT reports that the structure had last been inspected in late July, just weeks before the accident. The Bridge is inspected at least every two years and the weight limit on the bridge was first declared three tons in 1983 and has remained the same ever since. 

'This is a very severe instance of what could happen ... when a bridge is almost 50 years old and unique as this one is, and you have a vehicle that appears to be terribly overloaded, something like this happens,' Merrill said.

Many people took to criticizing the driver while others defended him for simply making a mistake. 

'Wow all this negative posting you people should be ashamed is this person all right people make mistakes when will we all learn to stop rioting over mistakes,' one user commented on facebook. 

'Hope everyone involved is okay,' another wrote.