PECULIAR, Mo. --
An accident Wednesday night on U.S. Highway 71 may have an impact on a small town fire department.
A fire truck was on the scene of an accident Wednesday night when a tractor-trailer slammed into it. While no firefighters were injured, the driver of the truck was taken to a local hospital.
The chief at the West Peculiar fire station said Thursday that he was thrilled that no firefighters were injured in the accident, which destroyed the fire engine. He was on the scene Wednesday night and said it's the worst damage to a fire engine that he has seen.
The chief is now filing an insurance claim to replace the half-million dollar truck.
The good news for residents is that the department has two more engines to serve the area.
"We're still the same department," said Douglas Short. "We just have one engine less. We can provide all the same suppression that we did before. That's why we have that third reserve unit. In case something like this happens."
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