Police and Fire News

Gas explosion in Falmouth; Roll-off truck snags power line in South Dennis; More MRSA

Also on CWN: Pedestrian critically injured in Hyannis (click). 

Explosion in Falmouth neighborhood
FALMOUTH - Officials are investigating a potentially dangerous situation in Falmouth Monday evening. Just before 10:30 p.m. at the intersection of Vineyard Street and Bayview Road in East Falmouth, someone apparently set fire to a five-gallon gasoline can causing a loud explosion. It appeared there was no other damage except to the quiet evening in the sparsely populated neighborhood. Water and an extinguisher were used to put out the resulting fuel fire and firefighters spread absorbent material on the street. Falmouth fire and police looked over the surrounding area with nothing further found. (Story and photo by Eric Tinglof/CWN).

Car vs tree in Cotuit
COTUIT - Barnstable Police are investigating a car vs tree on Route 28 (Falmouth Road) near Anchor Lane in Cotuit late Monday evening. The driver escaped serious injury. Further details were not immediately available.

Three arrested on heroin charges
BARNSTABLE - A joint effort of the Cape Cod Drug Task Force, Yarmouth and State Police led to the arrest of Dennis residents after a traffic stop on Route 6 on heroin charges. The driver, 22-year-old Christopher Gaspar, was charged with possession with intent to distribute Class A (heroin) and three outstanding warrants. A passenger, 27-year-old David Gonsalves, was charged with possession with intent to distribute Class A and two other drug charges. A second passenger, 28-year-old Jessica O'Connor, was charged with possession with intent to disribute Class A. O'Connor was released on bail while the other two were held at the House of Corrections pending arraignment. CWN archives show Gonsalves was arrested by Yarmouth in June on drug and weapons charges.

Single-vehicle crash in Falmouth

     ^{Two people escaped serious injury when their Cadillac crashed through a fence and down an embankment.}
FALMOUTH - Falmouth Police are investigating a single vehicle MVA juast after 2:30 p.m. Monday afternoon.  An older model Cadillac sedan slid off of John Parker Rd. after turning on to John Parker from Sandwich Rd northbound. The Cadillac crashed through the guard rail and trees beyond. The Cadillac came to rest completely off the road and down an embankment. Although the vehicle sustained extensive front and undercarrage damage the young male driver and his female passenger were only shaken up by the incident. (Story and photos by Eric Tinglof/CWN).

Roll-off truck snags power line in South Dennis

   ^{This roll-off truck operated by Price Trucking Corp. of Buffalo, NY, snagged a power line.}
SOUTH DENNIS – Around 9 a.m. Monday, a roll-off truck with the tilt frame raised was jockeying for position in the parking lot at the Dennis Water Department booster station at 770 Route 134 when it caught an overhead power line and broke the supporting pole.

The cable, running from the water department site to a pole across the street, drooped perilously close to the surface of  Route 134. Photo right: The crew painting the water tank (in background) deployed a forklift to raise live wire.

Though cars on Route 134 could pass beneath it, those on the scene feared that a large truck would snag the live wire. The crew painting the 6-million-gallon water tank at the site deployed a large forklift to raise the cable high enough for trucks to pass beneath. Dennis Fire Department Engine 106 secured the scene and called for NStar and the electrical inspector. Dennis police handled traffic control on the busy north-south roadway as repairs were carried out. (Story and Photos by Kevin Morley/CWN).

Another case of MRSA reported on Cape
HARWICH - A female student at Harwich High School has been diagnosed with the MRSA staph infection. Although officials do not believe the student is contagious as a precaution they ordered the school to be sanitized from top to bottom. The student is reported recuperating well and may be back in class after Thanksgiving. School officials sent e-mail and voice mails to alert parents to the outbreak.