Semi accident cuts power

KIRKLAND - An early morning semitrailer accident on Route 72 knocked down a utility pole and left about 140 customers without electricity. Around 4 a.m. today, a semitrailer was headed east on Route 72, west of Malta Road, when the driver misjudged a curve and the vehicle overturned, DeKalb County Sheriff Roger Scott said. The tractor ended up on the west side of the road, and the trailer overturned and landed in a field on the opposite side. ComEd spokesman Paul Callighan said this morning that the accident resulted in a utility pole being knocked down on Route 72, causing about 140 customers in Kirkland and in rural areas just west of the village to lose power. About 100 of those customers had power restored by 6:30 a.m. today, he said, and crews were working to get power to the rest by this morning. Around 9 a.m. today, crews were cleaning up the site and removing the trailer. ComEd crews were working on repairing power lines. The tractor remained in the field about 100 feet from the trailer. Traffic was being diverted off Route 72, west of Malta Road. The Kirkland Fire Department transported the driver to Kishwaukee Community Hospital. It appeared he had non-life-threatening injuries, Scott said. An investigation of the accident continues.