New Fire Engine Damaged During Delivery: Burke Fire Chief

BURKE, VA — There's Chief Tom Warnock on the Fourth of July, eagerly awaiting the arrival of a gleaning new, $700,000 fire engine that will join the fleet of the Burke Volunteer Fire and Rescue Department.

Then he receives a phone call.

Um, Chief. We have a problem.

Turns out that that during its delivery from the factory in Appleton, Wis., the engine stopped for a fuel stop in Lebanon, Ind.

Someone failed to properly engage the emergency brake.

The engine rolled backward into brush and trees.

So Warnock would have to wait a bit longer for the Pierce Velocity Engine, which was returned to the factory to repair damage that largely was cosmetic.

"It's truly unfortunate that it happened — and it's truly unfortunate that it happened to us," Warnock said with a chuckle Monday morning. "Stuff happens, you know?"

He said he expects the engine now will arrive at the station by the end of the month, and after mandatory inspections and personnel training, the engine should be good to go.

"I guess the bottom line is that even though we had to wait a while," Warnock said, "the people of Burke are still going to get a good fire engine that's going to serve them for 15-plus years."

Photo: Shutterstock file