Downtown smashup leads to six citations
Truck lost its brakes prior to Fairfield Street
By Michelle Monroe – Messenger Staff Writer
Monday, August 8, 2011 Edition of The St Albans Messenger
ST. ALBANS CITY – Only two of the six brakes were working on a tanker truck that smashed into and destroyed a building on South Main Street on July 29, said St. Albans Police Chief Gary Taylor this morning.
The building has been condemned as a result of the accident, and is being closely monitored by the city's fire marshal.
However, the wider question following the Friday afternoon wreck, was how no one was seriously injured or killed.
That question may never be answered.
In the most recent development, investigators from the Vermont Dept. of Motor Vehicles (DMV) , Vermont State Police and St. Albans police found 23 mechanical deficiencies in the vehicle.
The vehicle was absent a current safety inspection sticker; and it had an expired agricultural registration. Vehicles with an agricultural registration are only to be driven between agricultural sites, Taylor added. No criminal charges will be filed against the driver, Archie Domina, 23, according to Taylor. However, the state has issued two civil citations and Taylor anticipates St. Albans police will issue four others.
Domina sustained a neck injury and scratches for which he was treated and released from the hospital. The heavy manure tanker truck he operated bore signs on its cab doors: "Domina Farms, Sheldon, Vt."
The brakes on the truck failed on Routes 36 before its busy downhill intersection with Route 104, said Taylor. Domina tried to downshift at that intersection, but couldn't get the vehicle back into gear and it remained in neutral until it struck 10 South Main St. at the bottom of Fairfield Street.
"He was freewheeling it down Fairfield Street” said Taylor. Witnesses have reported that Domina was blowing the truck's horn as well.
"It is truly a miracle that no one was in that intersection or that there were no pedestrians on that crosswalk," said Taylor of the busy South Main and Fairfield intersection adjacent to Taylor Park.
The building into which Domina crashed was empty, but it's located between a retail store and a lawyer's office.
The speed at which the vehicle was traveling when it hit the building has not yet been determined, but the vehicle traveled through the building before hitting the back wall. There were gas lines on either side of where the truck came to rest.
A stairway leading into an adjacent building was damaged, causing the temporary evacuation of tenants living above Rail City Market. The Red Cross opened a family service center in St. Albans City Hall after the crash to assist the tenants forced from their homes, explained Doug Bishop, spokesperson for the Red Cross. The Red Cross lodged five of the 10 families affected in area hotels, according to Bishop. Taylor said he believes all but one family has been allowed to return to their home above 8 South Main. That family is in the apartment, which relies the most heavily on the damaged staircase for access.
The city initially closed the sidewalk in front of the building, parking spaces and the travel lane closest to the building. However, all three are now open. "We are not concerned the building will tip out and fall into the road," said Taylor. There are concerns about the building facade and steps have been taken to stabilize it. The fire marshal is monitoring the situation daily and if there is any deterioration the city will again close areas in front of the building, explained Taylor. "We're monitoring the building very carefully," said Taylor.
Owner Dave Kelly has 15 days from receipt of the condemnation order, issued on Aug. 2, to appeal or remove the building.
Although he was reluctant to "Monday morning quarterback," when asked if the driver should have ditched the vehicle sooner, Taylor said, "In an ideal situation one would never have tried to come down into the city." Asked what a driver should do in the event of brake failure, Taylor said, "Don't take it out of gear." If the vehicle is in gear the transmission may help to slow it. Turning off the ignition is also an option, and if there are guardrails, the driver can sideswipe them to try and slow the vehicle. The driver should also be on the lookout for vacant lots or empty land in which to ditch the vehicle, he said.
