Ga. Fire Truck Catches Fire at Station

Nov. 19--A Columbus Fire & EMS truck caught fire Wednesday night at the department's station on 4617 Warm Springs Road, officials said.

Fire Marshal Ricky Shores said Columbus Fire Station 11 was evacuated when the incident occurred around 11:03 p.m. No one was injured.

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives is investigating the origin of the fire.

"It appears to have initiated from a fire within the engine compartment of the fire truck, but it's still under investigation," he said. "The exact circumstances are undetermined at this time."

Shores said truck sustained about $400,000 worth of heavy damage, and the apparatus bay portion of the station sustained approximately $100,000 of significant structural damage. Two other vehicles in the building suffered minor thermal damage.

Mayor Teresa Tomlinson said the city obviously has to share trucks after the fire. "We have some that are just sort of backup trucks, but we're using those as a need arises throughout the city," she said. "This is something that we plan for strategically, not necessarily a truck catching fire but a truck being out of service."

The city already has started the process with a claim in connection with the fire.

"Our objective, of course, is to see if we can't get this resolved with the insurance company very quickly," the mayor said. "I can tell you they've already been out to assess the circumstance, so we're already in the claims process."

The mayor said she hasn't learned of any issues with the fire truck, but its maintenance history will surely be a part of the investigation.

Columbus Fire Station No. 11 housed an engine company with four personnel, a squad truck with about three to four personnel and an ambulance crew of about two personnel, according to a news release.

Copyright 2015 - Columbus Ledger-Enquirer, Ga.