At approximately 1400 we received a call for vehicle fire south bound on the Eastern Extension of the New Jersey Turnpike. Two Engines, a Ladder Tower, and a Deputy Chiefs vehicle were dispatched to the scene as per our normal response. Upon arrival we found a flatbed truck with the cab and engine compartment fully involved on the right shoulder. It is important to note that this section of the NJ Turn Pike is an elevated bridge and we were positioned facing uphill with only a 4 – 5 foot concrete barrier on the side of the shoulder. The first due engine arrived on the scene and parked up hill in front of the vehicle along with the Ladder-Tower. The State Police were on the scene prior to our arrival and had the shoulder and the right lane blocked and they were positioned behind the vehicle downhill. As per our protocol the second due Engine staged near the toll plaza. As I arrived on the scene in the D/C vehicle I was forced to park downhill behind two State Police vehicles. All three of our vehicles were in line on the shoulder starting approximately 20-feet behind the vehicle. As the First due engine was just starting the suppression efforts the flatbeds brakes let loose and the flatbed, which was still smoldering with fire in the cab area at the time, started to roll backwards along the shoulder between the concrete barriers and the right lane traffic. The two State Police vehicles moved into the right lane but the D/C vehicle was trapped on the shoulder behind the moving vehicle. I hopped in the D/C vehicle and drove backwards at the speed of flatbed in case I had to attempt to use the D/C car to stop the flatbed from turning into oncoming traffic. The Vehicle rolled down the hill, uncontrolled, for approximately 360-feet until a member was able to turn the steering wheel so that the vehicle turned into the concrete barrier and came to a complete stop. This vehicle could have easily run over an emergency worker on the scene or turned into oncoming traffic as it was in motion. Two members were injured while attempting to stop this vehicle while it was in motion. One had minor burns to his palms and injured his knee, and the second had a second degree burn along with a laceration to his right palm. This was an easily preventable accident had we chocked the vehicle immediately upon arrival. This action is often performed by the Ladder Company on the scene, however they were still in the process of donning their SCBA’s as the brakes let loose.

Lessons Learned: Chock the vehicle immediately upon arrival; do not wait for the second due Have planned escape routes in case the vehicle moves forward or backwards Have good communications with other first responders and have them move to a safe area.