Blue River's new firetruck proved its value during a house-fire that occurred March 2, according to fire chief Gabe Lavoie.
“We received the call at 4:10 and were on scene with Engine 1 with six members within minutes,” he reported. “It originated in the kitchen and was contained to that room of the house and the attic by using an exterior positive pressure attack, which was very successful and brought the flames under control in minutes of arriving on scene.”
The fire chief added that there where no injuries. The three occupants were assisted by Emergency Social Services until their home insurance took over.
The fire-damaged house is at the corner of third and main in Blue River.
Lavoie noted that the old 1982 truck, which the new truck replaces, is currently non-operational and will likely remain as such.
“The new engine allowed us to move a full complement of fire fighters and equipment incredibly quickly to the scene and get water on the fire within five minutes of getting the call, which was very impressive,” he said.
Approval to borrow up to $385,000 to purchase the new truck was given by a vote during a public meeting held in the Blue River community hall last September.
According to information released at the time, the borrowing to buy the new fire truck would result in property taxes on a $160,000 property in Blue River going up by about $150 per year for 10 years.
“It's incredibly important for all the homes and businesses in Blue River to have a functioning and properly trained fire department,” Lavoie said during the meeting.
The new truck, a 2016 Frieightliner capable of pumping 1,050 gallons per minute, arrived in late November of last year.