Runaway Truck Crashes into Kentucky Air National Guard Building

August 21, 2007

A runaway cement truck slammed into a Kentucky Air National Guard building that was unoccupied at the time, authorities said.

The truck came to a stop inside the building in South Louisville about 5:30 a.m. on Aug 16, causing extensive damage to the structure, fire officials said.

The driver escaped with apparent minor injuries.

No one was inside the building at the time, Air Guard Lt. Col. Kirk Hilbrecht told WHAS-AM. He said the damage included a couple of classrooms.

"As far as we're concerned, this is nothing more than a traffic accident that happens all the time,'' Hilbrecht said. "We are at operation normal. We're going on with the rest of our day as we would any other day.''

The truck left a southbound Interstate 65 exit ramp, crossing a road and flattening a security fence before smashing into the building, said Louisville Fire Chief Greg Frederick.

Officers said investigators would check the truck's brakes to see if they failed.