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Forklift thrown 75 yards after colliding with Illinois bridge

The tractor-trailer was hauling the forklift on its flatbed when it struck the bridge.
Photo courtesy of Belleville Fire Department

BELLEVILLE -- A bridge that Belleville police said is just barely over the legal 14 foot legal limit for height is at the center of a major accident involving a tractor-trailer that had a large piece of equipment fall off its trailer bed on Sunday morning.

The accident occurred on West State Route 15. Westbound traffic was halted as EMS and the Belleville Fire Department arrived on the scene.

"The tractor-trailer was hauling a forklift on its flatbed. The forklifts arms were raised facing upwards. The truck was driving under the bridge when the arms snagged the bridge and literally was thrown 75 yards," Chief Tom Pour said.

There is significant damage to the bridge, which according to Pour, has a history.

"It is barely over the 14 foot legal limit for height and has seen previous incidents with trucks. But this is the first time for Belleville," he said.

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