NEW: Fire Truck Failed to Start While Responding to Call, Says Providence Union President
Saturday, February 15, 2020
The president of the Providence firefighters union said that a fire truck failed to start on Saturday when responding to a call on Charles Street.
The episode marks the latest just a week after a Providence fire truck lost two wheels on Point Street in Providence — and weeks after the union raised concerns about the safety of the city’s fire equipment.
“Engine 3 was dispatched as an additional engine — we call it the fast company — to 460 Charles Street for a fire in a trash chute,” said Providence firefighter union president Derek Silva, of the call that came in just before 2:30 p.m. on Saturday.
GET THE LATEST BREAKING NEWS HERE -- SIGN UP FOR GOLOCAL FREE DAILY EBLAST“Ironically it wasn’t fast — since the truck wouldn’t start,” he said.
“So the officer radioed in and they sent engine 10 in its place — and engine 10 is further away than engine 3,” said Silva. “It ended up being a small fire but it just further illustrates out point about the condition of the trucks.
Silva responded to those who might question the timing of two significant events, in less than a month, following a letter sent to city officials by the fire union alerted them to the condition of the city’s fleet.
“These sort of incidents have been happening for quite some time. It’s just now there’s a spotlight on them,” he said.
Latest Incident
As GoLocal reported on February 7:
A Providence fire truck lost two wheels on Point Street in Providence on Thursday.
Officials believe that bolts rotted away.
Ladder 2 was returning from a call to the Messer Street fire station when the wheels came off the rear of the truck.
"It just happened around 11:30 a.m.," said Providence firefighters union president Derek Silva. "They were returning from a call on Route 6, so they were driving back when they lost two of their rear tires."
"It's happened before," said Silva of trucks losing tires. "The bolts in the hubs are steel. If they're not replaced, they rot away -- the bolts shear off."
Silva had raised the issue of the age -- and safety -- of the fire department's fleet earlier this week.
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