WARFIELD, Ky. — State police are investigating why four Warfield Volunteer Fire Department fire trucks were repossessed.
Officials said an out of state loan company repossessed the trucks Monday and will not return them until the department makes substantial payments on the loans, reported WSAZ.
“It impacted me pretty bad,” Warfield Volunteer Fire Department Chief Jay D. Hinkle said. “I got mad at first and then it hurt me because the community is who suffers in this.”
First Government Lease Company took the trucks after claiming that the loans were not paid. However, department leaders and county officials are trying to deduce who applied for the loans on the truck and why, because the vehicles were already paid off.
Government Lease representatives did not respond to requests for comment.
“Right now we’re going to try and seek some legal aid and see what we can do,” Hinkle said.
The department is now down to two fire engines and one rescue truck.
Neighboring departments have provided support to the department in order to maintain adequate fire coverage to the Warfield community.
“There’s some avenues with some grant money … we might be able to purchase a truck,” Martin County Judge Kelly Callaham said. “We have some money set aside for Warfield for a new firehouse and we might be able to change the scope of work on that money and be able to buy a fire truck and get this thing moving forward.”