Plow truck driver nearly impaled by falling tree branch during Massachusetts blizzard

A snow plow driver in Kingston, Massachusetts narrowly avoided being impaled by a falling tree branch Monday while clearing snow during a blizzard.

The Kingston Police Department shared photos showing a branch that came crashing down. The limb pierced the windshield of the pickup truck.

Police said the branch, which was about six inches in diameter and several feet long, landed between the driver's legs, "missing impaling him by inches."

Kingston Fire and Emergency Management also posted a photo from inside the truck that shows the branch wedged underneath the steering wheel.

"Please stay off the roadways. Even those who are trying to keep the roads clear and safe are having difficulties. Luckily there was no injury to the plow operator," the fire department said.

Police said roads are being plowed, but then become messy immediately as the snow covers them. In addition, winds are blowing branches onto power lines and into the roads.

"There is no sugar-coating this. It's bad out here. The worst in years and it's not over yet," Kingston police said.

Monday's punishing storm officially was declared a blizzard for many areas in the state. "Considerable falling and/or blowing snow which reduces visibility to less than ¼ mile for 3+ hours AND sustained winds or frequent gusts 35 mph or greater in that same timeframe" is the official criteria of a blizzard.

Several hundred thousand people in Massachusetts are without power during the storm. Some parts of the state have already reported two feet of snow.