By Ryan Hutton
The Berkshire Eagle (Pittsfield, Massachusetts)
CHESHIRE, Mass. — The Fire Department’s only “mini-pumper” fire truck has been severely damaged after being struck by a 17-year-old driver who had just received his license back after a suspension, police said yesterday.
The 1996 pumper was on its way to Hoosac Valley High School Friday night to supervise the traditional pregame bonfire for the school’s Saturday football game against Drury when it was hit by a 1998 Jeep Cherokee driven by Michael Barnaby of Devonshire Drive .
According to police reports, Barnaby said he was heading west on Church Street, near the Highway Department garage, when his Jeep drifted into the wrong lane of traffic and smashed into the driver’s side of the truck.
Police reports state Barnaby said, “It was my fault; I was in the wrong lane.” When police asked him why he was in the wrong lane, he said he must not have been paying attention.
Barnaby sustained a small laceration to his hand. Brent Lancia, the driver of the fire truck, was not injured.
Police Chief Timothy Garner said Barnaby had just gotten his license back after having it suspended for speeding.
“It was still a temporary paper license. He hadn’t even gotten the plastic one yet,” Garner said.
The Jeep ended up wedged part-way under the truck. Both vehicles sustained heavy damage.
“I’m not an insurance adjuster or anything, but there’s significant damage to the pump panel and the pump,” Fire Chief Tom Francesconi said. “There’s also significant damage to the frame and the rear axle. The rear axle was actually turned 180 degrees and came right off its mounts. The drive shaft was on the ground when we got there. And then some of the discharges on the pump panel were bent and damaged. The lower intakes and discharges on the pump panel received the majority of the impact.”
Town Administrator Thomas Webb said the town will file an insurance claim in hopes of getting the truck fixed because it had been in good condition, and the town can’t afford to replace it.
“Hopefully, they won’t tell us to total it, because that would not put us in a great position,” Webb said. “Whatever they give us for the truck is not going to cover the cost to replace it.”
He guessed insurance would pay $35,000 to $40,000 for a replacement, but a new truck could cost more than $100,000.
“It’s an odd predicament, because someone else is at fault but the town’s still potentially going to be out money if we have to replace it,” Webb said.
Francesconi said the pumper is not needed much in the winter, but he was concerned about the spring.
“We primarily use it for brush fires and wild-land fires because it’s a four-wheel drive,” he said. “It’s good for giving us access to places we have trouble getting the regular pumper to. If we have to replace it, I hope we can do it sooner rather than later, because the burning season starts in January. When the spring and thaw comes, that’s when the calls start.”
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