Fire Law Blog Fire Service and Public Safety Legal Issues Blog by Curt Varone
A fire that destroyed a fire department tanker (or tender if you are so inclined) in Union, Maine, has prompted a lawsuit by the town against the auto repair shop that had previously repaired the vehicle’s engine.
The tanker, a 1989 Freightliner, was destroyed on January 16, 2012 when it caught fire while enroute to Stone’s Auto/Truck Service LLC. In late 2011, Stone’s overhauled the vehicle’s engine and performed other repairs that the shop’s owner, David Stone, said would extend the vehicle’s life by 10 years, according to the lawsuit.
About a month after being returned in service, firefighters noticed the truck was making an abnormal sound. Stone was asked to inspect it, but was unable to determine the problem.
On January 16, 2012, Stone asked the department to bring the truck back in and while enroute it caught fire.
The suit was filed yesterday in Knox County Superior Court. More on the story.
