Police in Burnaby, B.C., say the driver of a commercial truck could have caused a “catastrophic collision” after the vehicle’s air brake system failed a recent emergency roadside inspection. The northbound truck was stopped early last month near the top of a hill on Royal Oak Avenue near Oakmount Crescent, Burnaby RCMP said in a news release Monday. The road is not designated as a truck route and officers also heard a “significant air leak” coming from the truck’s brake system, police said. Inspectors found the spring brake, which serves as the parking and emergency brake, was partially engaged. All six brakes were also running hot, producing a strong burning smell, according to the release. During the investigation, the air line responsible for the leak ruptured, causing the brake system to fail completely. “Had this occurred while the vehicle was descending the hill, the driver likely would have lost all braking ability, potentially causing a catastrophic collision at or near the busy intersection of Royal Oak Avenue and Deer Lake Parkway,” the statement said. The brake failure was enough to have the truck immediately taken out of service. But inspectors also uncovered several other violations, including an overweight front axle, unsecured cargo and a driver who was not wearing a seatbelt. Police issued seven violation tickets totalling $1,547 in fines. The vehicle was placed out of service and ordered to report to an inspection facility.
