Reaction Is Strong after Trucker Causes Massive Explosion In Glenville

Bridge Strike of Epic Proportions

The morning after an out-of-town truck driver slammed into the Maple Ave Bridge in Glenville - causing a volcanic propane-fueled explosion - area truck drivers and eyewitnesses weighed in on how and why this happened.

Nobody wants to pile on or seem insensitive - and we're all hopeful the driver can make a full recovery - but this could have been more disastrous for local families, first responders, or anyone within earshot of the location.

And there was no sugarcoating the strong Capital Region reaction to the incident.

Eye-Witnesses Weigh In

Witnesses told GNA they heard a loud BOOM at the moment of impact at around 6:45 pm on Thursday.  They told us the sky lit up in bright pink and orange as flames shot hundreds of feet into the air.  To make matters worse, an actual train on the tracks above caught fire while it was moving. 

Eyewitness Discuss the Explosive Incident on the GNA Morning Show:

According to sources, the man behind the wheel of the truck was Sylvester Basil Jr., from Clute, Texas. Basil sustained third-degree burns to his hands and face and was airlifted to Westchester Medical Center after causing the intense inferno.

Bridge strikes throughout the Capital Region are not uncommon, and afterward, most are left thinking the same thing -  how did the driver not know?

Multiple professional truck drivers called into the GNA morning show with Brian and Chrissy on Friday sharing much of the same sentiment saying that they too are baffled.

How Did the Driver Mess Up?

A trucker from the Capital Region, familiar with the particular route and the bridge, told GNA, "I'm a truck driver...I drive every day of the week. You'd have to be a real idiot to hit that bridge."

Locals know to approach the Maple Avenue Bridge with caution; it's tight and narrow and appears as though two cars can barely fit, let alone an 18-wheeler.

The same experienced trucker who called into GNA to voice his opinion couldn't fathom how Basil didn't see the warning signs, not to mention his GPS which should have alerted him of trouble ahead.

Capital Region Trucker Voices Opinion on the GNA Morning Show:

Police say that Maple Avenue would be closed for “an undetermined amount of time while the accident scene is made safe and the investigation can be conducted.”