LONDONDERRY — A landscaper who had an allergic reaction to bee stings passed out at the wheel of his truck Friday morning and struck a house at 5 Wallace Circle.
Mark Laplante, owner of Patriot Landscaping Service in Londonderry, said one of his employees, Jason Smerdon of Derry, was treated and released from Elliot Hospital in Manchester later that day.
The house had some damage, but Laplante said it was habitable and he would take care of the repairs.
"The homeowner is a client and has been very understanding," Laplante said. "We're getting a contractor in there and will get things taken care of."
Londonderry fire Capt. Fred Hunter said no one was home at the time of the accident.
Building Inspector Richard Canuel inspected the house Friday. He said it appears the front corner of the driver's side of the truck hit a small section of the home's front wall, approximately 6 feet wide.
The impact pushed in the bottom section of wall about a foot or so, Canuel said.
"There's no fear of collapse," he said. "I think it can be easily repaired. At this point, there is an opening in the home. It's going to take some framing work to repair, but it doesn't seem as though there's extensive damage."
He said the house was habitable, but there is some exposure to the elements.
"It's unfortunate that it happened, but nobody was hurt, which is a good thing," Laplante said.
Smerdon was working in the neighborhood when the bees attacked, Laplante said.
He apparently felt his throat begin to close up and was trying to get help from some other workers nearby when he passed out behind the wheel of the truck, Laplante said.
He said Smerdon wasn't aware of an allergy to bee stings.
"He is now," he said.
The landscaping truck, with a trailer in tow, struck the front of the house between the front door and a front window. Laplante said the front door was still usable.
A lamppost near the road was knocked over and tire tracks were visible across the lawn.
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