VAIDEN — As the 35-55 Truck Stop burned Monday, an unmanned fire truck got out of gear and damaged several vehicles nearby.
Carroll County Sheriff Jerry Carver said one of his deputies was leaving the Carroll Montgomery Regional Correctional Facility near the truck stop when he saw smoke and called the fire department. The Vaiden Fire Department responded with two trucks — one old and one newer. After the driver of the old truck left the vehicle, it began to roll, hitting the new truck, going about 60 feet to where the deputy’s vehicle was, hitting that vehicle, then continuing across the road into a field where some large trailers were parked. It hit the trailers, which brought it to a stop.
“My deputy had to jump out of the way to avoid getting hit,” Carver said. “The car was totaled. There was damage to the right side of the new fire truck and damage to the left side of the old one.”
Interim Vaiden Fire Chief Larry Smith said he did not know yet whether the truck was left in gear by the driver or dropped into gear by itself. He said the truck was donated to the city a few years ago by another department.
Smith said he would make a statement once he had collected all the information about the damage to the new truck and the cause of the accident.
Carver said the kitchen at the truck stop was destroyed and the building’s attic and roof were damaged.
He said the state fire marshal’s office and Deputy Lee Taylor, county fire investigator, are working to find the cause of the fire, which apparently started in the attic.
The truck stop is one of Vaiden’s main businesses and has been located there just off Interstate 55 and Mississippi 35 for many years.
