News Story #5

Chaos reigned on Moeser Lane yesterday when a runaway 10-wheeler truck overturned, creating a slip and slide of destruction on this street in El Cerrito, as it badly damaged five vehicles, snapped a power pole and eventually smashed into someone’s home, causing both the truck and house to catch on fire.
El Cerrito police Detective Sgt. Shawn Maples was among the first rescue workers to arrive at the scene. When Maples heard cries coming from the burning truck and house he immediately began digging through the debris. Maples found the driver of the hauler, whose legs were mangled from the incident, lodged between the wheels of the overturned truck. With help from Police Chief Scott Kirkland and Detective Ken Zinc, Maples was able to pull the driver to safety. Maples stated that their only concern was getting the driver free as they “dragged him out in a heartbeat while the truck went up in flames.”
In case an overturned truck and a burning house weren’t enough to keep rescue workers busy, they also had to peel back the roof of a crumpled Honda Sedan that was hit by the truck, in order to save the trapped driver inside.
Among other victims of this accident were a man and boy who were inside their sports utility vehicle when it was forced by the truck into shrubbery beside the burning house, as well as an electrician’s truck that was hit so forcibly that it relocated to adjacent Richmond Street.
The driver of the truck, a San Jose man whose name is not being released, is listed in serious but stable condition at John Muir Medical Center in Walnut Creek.
Perhaps Ruben Sharma, neighbor to the people whose house was destroyed in the fire, said it best when looking across the street, “this is unbelievable.”