A two-alarm fire destroyed part of an Illinois fire station early Sunday, but firefighters were able to save several apparatus from the flames.
The fire broke out just before 1 a.m. in a side building at the St. Anne Fire Protection District's station, The Daily Journal in Kankakee reports. A police officer called in the fire after smelling smoke while on patrol near the station.
Firefighters moved the district's tender, three engines and brush truck from the station's main building. A Riverside Ambulance crews stationed in the main building also were able to move out their ambulance.
“There’s no doubt about it, (the police officer) got there at the right time or we would have lost the main building,” Fire Chief Tim Douglas told the Journal.
The fire eventually was raised to a second alarm, and over a half-dozen neighboring departments responded. During the call, one firefighter suffered smoke inhalation and was treated.
“We are very proud of our guys and all the other departments,” Douglas said.
The fire destroyed the station's side building and caused damage estimated between $750,000 to $1 million. The district also lost a duty pickup truck, a rehab trailer, a water rescue trailer, a rescue boat and other gear and equipment, including spare hoselines.
Douglas told the Journal that this is the first time the station has caught fire in his 33 years with the district. He also said that surrounding communities have already asked how they can help the district.
“We have had a lot of departments reach out to us and tell us if we need something, to call them,” he said. “We are a farming community, and people in the community offered to help if we needed to store equipment. There are a lot of people there to help us out.”
