Three individuals were hospitalized Monday morning after a massive pine tree collapsed onto their pickup truck while traveling through the Leominster State Forest. Emergencyresponders described the incident as a “miracle” survival after large branches pierced the vehicle’s cabin, narrowly missing the occupants.
The accident occurred at approximately 7 a.m. on Fitchburg Road. According to local authorities, a 100-foot pine tree uprooted and fell directly onto a pickup truck carrying three employees of a local paving company.
Ruzbin Martinez, owner of New Era Paving, was traveling in a separate vehicle ahead of the victims. Martinez reported seeing the aftermath in his rearview mirror as the truck veered into the center of the roadway, followed by a sudden plume of smoke.
Princeton Fire Chief John Bennett confirmed that the force of the impact caused a branch to spear through the windshield, while another penetrated the engine block, sparking a small fire…