Pennsylvania: Second fire truck out of service after accident

A second Centre County fire truck is out of service Monday, after a car crashed into it while firefighters responded to the scene of an accident. It happened Sunday night on Interstate 99 near exit 61 in Port Matilda.

Alpha and Port Matilda Fire Companies were responding to an accident on the bridge near that exit when a car, driving too fast, lost control. Officials said there were a number of accidents along that stretch of roadway around 9:00 p.m. Sunday, after several snow squalls moved through the area, causing the bridge to ice over.

Port Matilda Engine 1514 was struck, as well as the truck's officer. Fortunately, he is okay. The car bumped into the back of his leg.

The engine, though, will have to be taken out of service for a couple of months.

The department is waiting on their insurance company to determine how much the damage will cost and how long the truck will be out of service.

This is the second crash to take out a fire truck in nearly a month. An Alpha Fire truck will be out of service for at least nine months as a result of the first accident.

Centre Region Fire Director Steve Bair said accidents like this one don't happen too often but when they do, it's devastating to the department and to taxpayers.

"It takes another fire engine out of the western side there, for both Port Matilda, us and then to the east of Philipsburg," Bair said. "There's not a lot in that corridor, so you'll have to rely on mutual aid. The problem is when you rely on mutual aid around here, it takes several minutes longer, just by virtue of the travel time."

Fire officials remind drivers to slow down if conditions change on the road and if you see emergency vehicles pulled over.