HALLOWELL – A tank truck that lost its brakes on a steep hill struck two vehicles before careening into a downtown building and becoming lodged inside, authorities said.

One or two people suffered slight injuries in the Tuesday afternoon crash on Water Street, along the Kennebec River.

“It’s a miracle that no one was seriously injured or killed,” said Stephen McCausland, spokesman for the state Department of Public Safety.

Only the rear end of the tanker was visible from the street, McCausland said, and police called in a structural engineer to assess the building’s condition and decide what to do next.

The three-story building is next to Maine Republican Party headquarters and houses a real estate office and a bookstore, with apartments on the upper floors.

The truck apparently was hauling water in its tank when its brakes failed on the Winthrop Street hill, McCausland said. He said the truck’s fuel tank ruptured, spilling diesel fuel.

Police rerouted traffic on Water Street, which carries Route 201 through the city.