Delays, closures predicted on I-95 in Attleboro for power line repairs

By Sarah N. Mattero, Globe Correspondent

Motorists traveling Sunday between Exits 4 and 5 on Interstate 95 in Attleboro should expect delays and lane closures as repairs are made to power lines that drooped and then were torn down by two trucks traveling on the highway Thursday, authorities said.

The power lines sagged over the road and were snagged at about 3 p.m. by two trucks, one traveling on the north side of the divided highway and one traveling on the south side, National Grid said.

Joseph O. Irorere, 45, of Brockton, who was driving a 2001 Mack 600 tractor-trailer northbound when it hit the lines, received an electrical shock when he exited his truck. State Police said today he was being treated at Sturdy Memorial Hospital, though a hospital spokeswoman said there was no record that he was admitted. The driver of the southbound truck was not injured.

The incident prompted officials to close the busy highway for 2 1/2 hours, snarling traffic on the highway and local roads in the area.

A preliminary investigation indicated that wires on both sides of the highway had drooped because of a “structural issue on a utility pole set back from the highway,” State Police said.

National Grid said, “Pole replacement in the area is underway.”

“We plan to run new power lines across the highway on Sunday and are coordinating with state transportation and public safety officials on the best time to accomplish this. We expect to return the lines to normal service on Monday,” the company said in a statement.

National Grid noted that the investigation of the incident is “complicated by the extensive amount of damage that was caused to the electric system in the area.”

The company thanked state and local public safety officials who responded to the incident. It also said, “We deeply regret the inconvenience caused to those caught in the traffic jam that followed the incident.”

The state Department of Transportation said the restoration work would run from 5:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sunday.

A message left at Irorere’s home telephone number wasn’t immediately returned.