Farm animals rescued after trailer crashes into Readington barn

READINGTON – Stanton Road was closed for about nine hours on Monday after the trailer of an 18-wheeler broke free from its tractor and overturned, crashing into a barn.

Readington police were dispatched to the scene of the accident around 7:40 a.m. in the 100 block of Stanton Road, according to the Readington Police Department.

Police said the 53-foot trailer detached from the tractor while the vehicle was negotiating a turn. The trailer then tipped onto its slide and slid into the barn, causing extensive damage.

The truck driver was not injured and received no summonses.

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The barn was later demolished because of the compromised structural integrity of the building, police said.

The initial reports show the cause of the crash was likely an equipment failure, but the crash remains under investigation, said police.

Superior Towing, a local towing company, removed the trailer from the damnaged barn in what police called "an exhaustive operation."

A Whitehouse Rescue Squad Facebook post revealed the barn was full of animals, but rescue units removed chickens, goats and other birds from the barn before it could collapse on them.

Readington Township Office of Emergency Management (OEM) coordinated the effort among Readington Police, Hunterdon County OEM, Superior Towing and Transport, Hunterdon County Technical Rescue Task Force, and Whitehouse Rescue Squad.

Ethan Mannello: EMannello@mycentraljersey.com

This article originally appeared on MyCentralJersey.com: Farm animals rescued after trailer crashes into Readington barn