FISHKILL – A fire in the town’s highway department garage on Saturday morning caused significant damage to one of the highway department trucks while smoke and water caused damage to other equipment in the town garage, according to Fishkill Highway Superintendent Carmine Istvan.
Dutchess County 911 received a report of a fire in the highway department garage early on Saturday morning. The Rombout and Fishkill Fire Departments responded and found a fire involving a truck . A total of six trucks were stationed in the building where the fire was and another four trucks were parked in the adjoining garage.
“We are very fortunate that someone reported the fire. If the fire had a chance to spread, it would have had a catastrophic effect on our operations,” Istvan said.
“Initial reports indicate that a fire started in the brake lines of a six-wheel dump truck,” Istvan reported. “The wiring on our trucks is subjected to harsh conditions, including road salt and water, which can lead to electrical shorts, that lead to fires. We believe that an electrical short in the rear brake lines of this truck was the origin of the fire but an official determination has not been made,” said the head of the highway department who is in his first month on the job.
“The quick work of the responding fire departments prevented a disaster at a time when we need every vehicle to be ready to roll. There’s a storm in the forecast and now we are forced to do more with less but our staff is capable of overcoming this obstacle and keeping the town’s roads clear for our community,” Istvan pledged.
