2002 — Sep 12, Speeding Van, off John’s Bridge between Eagle/Churchill Lakes, ME–14

— 14  Indiana Gazette, Indiana, PA. “14 die in van crash.” 9-13-2002, p. 7.

— 14  National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.  FARS 1975-2010 Fatality Analysis.

— 14  NYT (R.F. Worth). “Tears for Migrant Workers Killed in Van Crash in Maine.” 9-14-2002.

 

Newspapers

 

Sep 12: “Allagash, Maine (AP) — A van carrying migrant workers went off a one-lane bridge into a river in the northern Maine wilderness early Thursday, and about a dozen people were presumed drowned, state police said. At least one person survived the crash into the Allagash Wilderness Waterway, but 12 or 13 others were unaccounted for, said Stephen McCausland, spokesman for the Maine Department of Public Safety.

 

“The survivor, who spoke Spanish, was part of a crew hired to clear land for Seven Islands Land Co., a land management company, McCausland said.

 

“The accident happened on John’s Bridge, a one-lane wooden bridge with no railings between Eagle and Churchill lakes, about 25 miles east of the Canadian border.  State police divers had to use float planes to reach the remote site.

 

“A high, wind advisory was in effect at the time of ‘the accident, according to the National Weather Service.  The advisory urged motorists, especially those in high-profile vehicles, to proceed with caution because of wind gusts approaching 45 mph.”  (Pulaski Southwest Times, VA. “Van carrying migrant workers goes off bridge, 13 missing.” 9-12-2002, 5.)

 

Sep 13: “Allagash Wilderness Waterway, Maine – The families of 14 Central American migrant workers killed when their van plunged into a river received condolences from the governor and other officials after a crash that was the worst in Maine history.  Four of the victims killed in the remote northern wilderness Thursday were from Guatemala. Ten were from Honduras. The sole survivor of the traffic accident also was from Guatemala.  “It’s awful,” said John Cashwell, president of the contractor Seven Islands Land Co. “Personally and professionally I’m feeling a great deal of sorrow and we’re helping the best way we can.”

 

“Gov. Angus King said he would contact the leaders of the victims’ home nations to express his condolences.  “We will continue to do whatever we can to help those people who lost a loved one in this terrible accident,” King said.

 

“The workers were headed to a job clearing timber for a logging company when their van, driving along an unpaved logging road, hit a curb on a one-lane wooden bridge near the entrance to the Allagash Wilderness Waterway, about 25 miles east of the Canadian border.  The bridge had no railings.  The van plummeted into a river, trapping 14 of the workers inside.

 

“The survivor escaped by kicking out the back window as the van sank in 15 feet of water, said Stephen McCausland of the Maine Public Safety Department.  The survivor told authorities the van had been going about 70 mph.  There is no speed limit on logging roads, which are privately owned.

 

“The area, about 300 miles north of Portland, occurred in an area popular with canoeists.  State police and divers had to scramble to get to the site aboard float planes and helicopters.  The site is about 90 miles from the nearest paved road.

 

“Seven Islands Land Co., which owns more than 900,000 acres in Maine, had hired several contractors and the men worked for a subcontractor for one of them, said Cashwell. The crash was by far the worst traffic accident in Maine history.” (Indiana Gazette, Indiana, PA. “14 die in van crash.” 9-13-2002, p. 7.)

 

Sources

 

Indiana Gazette, Indiana, PA. “14 die in van crash.” 9-13-2002, p. 7. Accessed at:  http://www.newspaperarchive.com/indiana-gazette/2002-09-13/page-7/

 

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Partial Data Dump of Crashes Involving 10 or More Fatalities, by Year, Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS) 1975-2009 Final and 2010 ARF. Washington, DC: NHTSA, pdf file provided to Wayne Blanchard, 1-26-2012.

 

New York Times (Robert F. Worth). “Tears for Migrant Workers Killed in Van Crash in Maine.” 9-14-2002. Accessed 10-29-2015 at: http://www.nytimes.com/2002/09/14/us/tears-for-migrant-workers-killed-in-van-crash-in-maine.html

 

Pulaski Southwest Times, VA. “Van carrying migrant workers goes off bridge, 13 missing.” 9-12-2002, p. 5.