- Photo by William Tauro

By William Tauro

Nearly three months after Somerville News staff assisted and reported on a story about a disabled man in a wheelchair who got stuck in the snow two days after a snowfall due to a unshoveled walkway and handicap ramp, the station has closed.

Somerville resident Mike Cote of Brady Towers was stuck in the snow of the handicap ramp at the Sunoco Gas Station on McGrath Highway.

The Somerville man was yelling for help for a half hour unnoticed when News staff arrived on scene and assisted the man. The incident happened two days after the last snow storm ended.

The Sunoco employees did not attempt to come out of the store to assist in the man’s rescue but watched the rescue from inside the store. Sunoco employees refused comment at that time.

A week later Sunoco station manger Javaid Butt along with Sunoco representatives from Sunoco Corporate immediately jumped into action to rectify the problem. They assured the public that this would never happen again.

Station manager Javaid Butt paid the Somerville resident a visit to offer an apology on behalf of Sunoco and himself.

Butt said that he has a 16 year clean record with not even a blemish with his Sunoco business relations and that he will make good with Mike Cote and learn from this experience.

The reason for the station’s closing is unknown at this time.