By Brock Parker
The York Dispatch
SEVEN VALLEYS, Pa. — Seven Valleys Fire Co. is back in service after a temporary shutdown caused by a burglar who ransacked its firehouse and possibly tampered with the fuel in three fire trucks last week.
After draining fuel from the three trucks, Fire Chief Trabert Ellis said mechanics found a “milky-white” color in the fuel that deepens firefighters’ suspicion that someone poured bleach into the trucks sometime Wednesday night or Thursday morning.
“It probably would have ruined the engines and we might have been out of service for a while,” Ellis said.
But Ellis said mechanics flushed the fuel systems of one of the company’s fire engines and a second truck, which allowed the firefighters to return to service at 5 p.m. Friday.
Samples of the fuel from the vehicles are being turned over to state police to be analyzed, and the fuel system of a second fire engine will be flushed and returned to service as soon as Monday, Ellis said.
Fire crews from nearby communities had to cover for the Seven Valleys company Thursday and much of Friday after the ransacked Seven Valleys firehouse was discovered.
Ellis said someone broke into the firehouse through a rear window before stealing titles to the fire company’s vehicles, a thermal-imaging camera, $10, and bingo prizes the company gives away at Wednesday night bingo games.
When a firefighter discovered the mess Thursday morning, he also smelled bleach around the fire trucks, and the company decided to have the vehicles towed and inspected as a precaution.
After discovering the milky-white color of the fuel, Ellis said he believes the company was “very fortunate” that it did not attempt to start the fire trucks. Sunday night Ellis said the firefighters were still cleaning up the firehouse, boarding up one window and covering three others with siding to prevent another break-in.
“We’re still fully frustrated,” the chief said.
State police are investigating the burglary and said there were a few other burglaries in the area that night.
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