Fire truck takes off when brakes release

ROCKWELL — A Rockwell firetruck became the second runaway vehicle in the county this week.

Firefighters from Rockwell Rural Fire Department were responding to a medical call Thursday night when the mishap occurred.

Fire Chief Allen Cress said they had responded to a call from the 3100 block of Sides Road around 7:30 p.m.

They parked the truck and were entering the house, when they heard a noise and turned around.

“The brakes just seemed to release, and the truck went for a little trip,” said Cress.

The truck tracked through a couple of yards, ran over a mailbox and hit a railing on a house before stopping.

The firefighter who had been driving the truck ran it down and stopped it.

Cress said it did very little damage, and the truck wasn’t damaged at all.

“It could have been a lot worse,” Cress said.

As for the driver, “he’ll have to live it down for a year or so,” Cress said.

On Thursday morning, Rowan Sheriff’s deputies tried to stop a runaway pickup off Grace Church Road. The owner had left the motor running and went inside to answer the phone.

Minutes later, the vehicle took off in reverse, continuing to go in circles before it ran into a building on the property.