Hazleton Fire Department Ladder 1 and Engine 4 Damaged by Construction Barriers

Leaders of Hazleton's fire and police departments met with state transportation officials Tuesday to discuss moving a road construction barrier along East Broad Street that damaged two fire vehicles responding to a call.

The city fire department's Ladder 1 and Engine 4 sustained mostly cosmetic damage as they passed a temporary barrier at a road construction site between Hazle and Poplar streets Monday night, city fire Chief Donald Leshko said.

Officials believe the barrier was struck by another vehicle before the department was dispatched to a fire on Birch Street around 11:30 p.m. Monday, Leshko said. The initial accident loosened a section of the guide rail, which extended into part of the street. As the fire vehicles passed the barrier, a damaged section of guide rail scraped the bumper of the 2011 ladder truck and damaged a light, railing and wheel well on Engine 4, the chief said.

Both vehicles were parked along Mine Street on Tuesday afternoon, about a block from the accident scene. The front chrome-coated bumper of Engine 4 was scratched at the corner near the passenger's side. A chrome lug nut was missing on a front wheel of Engine 4 and scratches were visible down the passenger side.

"We'll get an estimate on what kind of damage and go from there," Leshko said. "The important thing is that nobody was hurt. Both vehicles are still in service."

Firefighters removed the damaged strip of railing Monday night, Deputy Fire Chief Shawn Jones said.

Leshko, police Chief Frank DeAndrea and Jones were among a contingent of city representatives who met with Pat Fritsky, a Pennsylvania Department of Transportation construction manager overseeing the Broad Street Corridor project, Tuesday afternoon to discuss ways to widen the two remaining open lanes of East Broad Street while allowing contractors to renovate westbound lanes.

Officials at the scene noted that vehicles traveling in a lane temporarily reserved for westbound traffic had a tendency to veer toward the lone eastbound lane of travel at the temporary barrier.

The barrier blocked two milled lanes of East Broad Street.

DeAndrea said PennDOT and its contractor were open to working with city officials to resolve the issue, which he said stems more from the perception of a narrow section of highway.

"It's a public safety concern," DeAndrea said. "It's not the specific width (of the lanes creating issues), it's the perception."

PennDOT crews informed the police chief that they would pave two lanes of East Broad Street between Hazle and Poplar today and work with the fire department to rearrange the temporary barrier, DeAndrea said.

Leshko and DeAndrea said PennDOT and its contractor were more than willing to work with city officials.

Flagmen at the work site have enabled the fire department to respond to calls without experiencing delays, Leshko said.

McClatchy-Tribune News Service