T-L Photo/JENNIFER COMPSTON-STROUGH First responders gather around a massive tree lying atop a Bill’s Towing truck on Emerson Road just north of U.S. 250 on Thursday evening. Heavy equipment was being brought in around 8 p.m. to help clear the roadway.

COLERAIN — A massive tree fell on a passing truck shortly before 6:30 p.m.Thursday, temporarily trapping the driver inside the vehicle.

According to Sgt. Warren Rawlings of the Ohio State Highway Patrol, a truck owned by Bill’s Towing was traveling along Belmont County Road 5, Emerson Road, just north of U.S. 250 toward the Adena area “when a large tree apparently fell on top of the truck.” He said the driver sustained some injuries, but “nothing life threatening.”

“He was trapped,” Rawlings said. “Fire and EMS, they were able to extract him from the vehicle, and he is going to be treated at a local area hospital.”

The Colerain, Barton and Sunset Heights volunteer fire departments responded along with the patrol. Rawlings noted that Bill’s Towing had a large presence at the scene and that the company was assisting with the cleanup.

Rawlings said he had obtained the driver’s identification but declined to release that information at the scene.

At about 8 p.m., the roadway remained blocked by the truck and the tree, which appeared to have broken and fallen from an embankment above the roadway and to the driver’s left. Heavy equipment was being brought to the scene to help remove the debris.