Fire destroys fire station

No one was injured but a fire station in Illinois, USA was decimated by a devastating fire Thursday morning. The Stockton Fire Chief reported that when first responders arrived on scene, they found the building engulfed. Luckily not all of the equipment was stored in the main fire station building. A second garage across the street housed a pump truck.

“About a half dozen other area volunteer fire departments responded to assist Stockton crews,” said Chief Randy Baysinger.

Firefighters were able to get started on the fire with the pump truck while the call went out for mutual aid. About a half dozen other area volunteer fire departments responded to assist Stockton crews put out the blaze. According to Chief Baysinger, much of the equipment in the fire station was either lost or severely damaged

That includes about six different vehicles. Other assisting departments did bring in truck loads of spare gear, even extra vehicles for Stockton to use. While the main station building is boarded up firefighters will still be able to work out of the second building across the street. Fire Chief Randy Baysinger says he and his crews are thankful for the outpouring of support from the community and other agencies.

An investigation is underway but crews believe the cause of the fire is electrical. Chief Baysinger says it’s possibly related to an ATV in a trailer inside the building.

Within the last year in the UK, and as a response to several requests from the UK’s Fire & Services, the British Automatic Fire Sprinkler Association (BAFSA) has published information regarding fitting automatic fire suppression in fire authority buildings  BIF 11