Oops! Bucket Truck Causes Freak Cooper City Accident

COOPER CITY (CBSMiami) - When you move a bucket truck, you're supposed to take the bucket down first. Somehow someone missed that step in Cooper City Friday, leaving city officials with a traffic mess and a bunch of wreckage.

The accident happened at Griffin Road and Palm Avenue, when a bucket truck with two people inside went through the intersection with the bucket still raised.

The Broward Sheriff's Office said the truck's arm and basket ripped through power lines when it took out two utility poles. It also damaged signal poles which are designed to withstand hurricanes, knocking them toward the ground.

The combination of the downed wires and downed poles  backed up traffic around the intersection, as streets were closed for safety.

Nobody was hurt in the accident, but no explanation has been offered as to why the truck was traveling while the basket was raised. Normally, trucks with raiseable masts or baskets have a safety interlock or warning device to prevent this type of accidents.

It's not known what the basket truck was doing in the area.