Two children had narrow escapes when a runaway garbage truck careered into their house in Sydney. The truck was parked and rolled downhill while the driver was out collecting bins.

Gemma Niwa reports.

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Police are still trying to determine if it was driver error or a mechanical fault that sent the truck into the Lilyfield home.

The impact badly damaged the building, but before it got that far the garbage truck had wrecked other prized possessions.

Dale Cook, Neighbour: “Car, campervan, boat and car have been taken out by the 12-tonne garbage truck and it’s lost control and driven in the lounge room.”

A 10-year-old boy and 15-year-old girl were in the house at the time. They were trapped briefly in the lounge room but weren’t hurt.

Nevertheless it was a terrifying experience and a very near miss.

Dale Cook, Neighbour: “Kids in the lounge room are OK which is great but very, very shaken as you would be if a 12-tonne truck drives through your lounge room.”

The driver was emptying bins outside when the garbage truck rolled away.

He was able to get back in, but couldn’t stop the vehicle in time.

Council engineers and police experts will examine the mechanics of the truck when it’s finally pulled from the house.

Gemma Niwa, QUT News.