The newest and most expensive truck in the Providence Fire Department’s fleet is out of service after a partial roof collapse caused significant damage, wpri.com reported.
The city’s fire chief says Tower Ladder One is primarily used for its 100-foot extendable ladder and bucket, the report said.
Crews responded Saturday afternoon to a fire at a three-story, multi-family home on Stanwood Street. They used Tower Ladder One to reach a third-story window and search for people inside, according to the report.
Once it was in place, a portion of the burning roof fell onto the truck’s bucket, the report said.
The interior of the bucket was burned and its cables and controls melted, according to the fire official.
Crews attempted to extinguish the fire inside the bucket, but were then ordered to evacuate the home. The firefighters who used the bucket to get inside then had to find another way out, the report said.
Tower Ladder One, worth around $1.4 million, was put into service in 2021. It’s one of two tower ladder trucks in Providence.
Despite the significant damage, the fire official said the truck is not a total loss. The extent of the damage and cost to fix it is still being determined.