Runaway truck ends up in front room of house

An Auckland house had an unwelcome nocturnal visitor overnight when a runaway truck crashed into an empty room.

The truck was towing a trailer carrying a tractor and was part of a crew removing a house from a site in Ridings Rd, Remuera.

Sergeant Mike Wilson said the truck towing the house stopped at an intersection and the second truck towing the trailer stopped behind it.

"The driver got out of the truck to assist the driver of the truck with the house. While he was away from the vehicle it careered off down the road.

"The trailer jack-knifed and the tow coupling snapped. The trailer came to rest of the road and the truck unit carried on down and collided with a private residence."

The runaway truck demolished a fence, a porch on the house and stopped in the front room.

Police said only one person was in the house. No one was injured and police said they were investigating the driver's claim there was a mechanical fault in the truck.

- NZPA