PHOTO - Authorities are trying to figure out who broke into the Smith Valley fire hall on Foys Lake Road late Saturday night or early Sunday morning and set a fire that caused massive damage. The fallout is expected to slow response to emergency calls in the area.
Fire Chief D.C. Haas of the Smith Valley Fire Department said firefighters responded to the hall at around 11 a.m. on Sunday morning for an accident call and found that a door had been kicked in and someone had set a rescue truck on fire. The truck was a total loss and a nearby engine sustained serious damage.
“Everything is destroyed inside,” Haas said.
The fire was contained to the hall, but the destruction included six sets of firefighting turnout gear for both structure and wildland fires, Jaws of Life equipment, water rescue equipment, a defibrillator and other important emergency equipment.
While the fire department still has a main station on U.S. 2, Haas said the loss of the gear will be significant to the department, especially since it occurred on a major holiday weekend when accidents, fires, and other mayhem occur.