A crew works to stop the leak from the destroyed hydrant at the corner of Hwy 70 and Meadowbrook Dr. Thursday afternoon. Photo by Catherine Hardee / Neuse News

The area around Neuse Sport Shop and King’s Restaurant in Kinston experienced flooding once again this afternoon, but from a different source than the Neuse River.

Kinston Police Department Sgt. Chad Rouse said a tractor trailer driving east on U.S. 70 struck the fire hydrant at the corner of U.S. 70 and Meadowbrook Drive at around 4 p.m., Thursday. The driver did not stop after the incident. The impact destroyed the entire hydrant, which led to water gushing from the water line, flooding the intersection.

A work crew from the City of Kinston got the leak shut off within half an hour, but Meadowbrook Drive was still flooded for several hundred feet at that time.

Rouse said the identity of the truck that caused the flood was still unknown, but he said surveillance cameras at Neuse Sport Shop should have captured the incident on tape, and the owners were working with police to find the responsible party.

“The city will want to give somebody a bill for all this water,” Rouse said.