A quiet stretch of Gulf Road in Northfield turned deadly Thursday afternoon when a pickup truck left the pavement, slammed into a tree, and burst into flames, according to officials. Responders arrived to find the cab of the Ford F-350 fully engulfed with the driver still trapped inside. Firefighters knocked down the blaze, but the man was later pronounced dead at the scene. The road was shut down for several hours while investigators worked, then reopened in the evening.
What happened at the scene
Fire Chief Floyd “Skip” Dunnell III said crews were dispatched to the area of 585 Gulf Road shortly after 12:30 p.m., where they found a Ford F-350 with New Hampshire plates that had gone off the road and struck a tree. Northfield firefighters extinguished the flames and assisted the medical examiner’s office in removing the driver, who was the sole occupant of the vehicle, according to Greenfield Recorder.
Response and timeline
Police officers were the first to reach the crash site, with firefighters arriving within about 10 minutes of the call. Gulf Road was closed for several hours as investigators documented the scene and cleared the wreckage. The roadway reopened at about 5:30 p.m., as reported by Franklin County Now.
Investigation underway
The cause of the crash remains under investigation by Massachusetts State Police and the Northwestern District Attorney’s Office. Officials have not released the driver's identity, and no additional information about speed, impairment, or other potential factors has been disclosed, according to Greenfield Recorder.
