Disaster was averted Tuesday morning when a tractor-trailer crashed into a general store in Allamuchy, New Jersey. The store, just a couple hundred yards away from the Allamuchy Township Elementary School, just happened to be unoccupied at the time of the accident. The crash is still under investigation.
The New Jersey State Police have stated that early indications suggest that failing brakes were the cause of the crash, and that further mechanical testing is underway. Thankfully no injuries occurred, though a hazmat team was called in, as the truck leaked a small amount of fuel. Police indicated that the fuel spill was contained and cleaned quickly.
The truck driver was reportedly not able to engage his brakes at the intersection of County Road 517 and Old Hackettstown Road, near Interstate 80. The truck was heading downhill when the driver realized the brakes were failing, and eventually drove through a resident’s property and through several trees before it ran into the Allamuchy General Store. Due to the enormous size of the 18-wheeler, the entire cab of the truck crashed through the store.
Luckily the store was unoccupied at the time. Witnesses reported that shortly before the accident took place buses and vehicles were dropping off kids for school, but that these had all left by the time of the crash.
No charges against the truck driver have been pressed at this time.
Source: http://www.njherald.com/20170111/allamuchy-tractor-trailer-crash-under-investigation#