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West Tisbury Fire Engine 721 rear-ended a cargo van Tuesday morning on Edgartown–West Tisbury Road. The cargo van was subsequently propelled into the back of an SUV. The fire truck was returning from an alarm call at about 9:45 am, according to West Tisbury Deputy Fire Chief Greg Pachico. Pachico said two vehicles were in the process of turning off Edgartown–West Tisbury Road when the accident occurred.Â
“He just didn’t make the connection that vehicles were stopped in front of him,” Pachico said of the firefighter at the wheel. He did not identify the firefighter. Nobody was injured in the accident, Pachico said.
The crash smashed in the back of the cargo van, and did extensive damage to the front of Engine 721. The toll on the engine included “pretty extensive radiator damage,” as well as damage to the hood, lights, and bumper. A front-mounted pump outlet was left “pinched and dented,” Pachico said. He said hopefully most damage is cosmetic, and doesn’t extend to internal mechanical components of the engine.Â
“We’ll be down a rescue truck for a while,” Pachico said. Tisbury is going to fill the rescue truck gap until 721 can be repaired, he said. “Thank God we have [another] town willing to pitch in,” he said.Â
Tisbury Fire Chief Greg Leland confirmed Tisbury will provide rescue coverage for West Tisbury. He said West Tisbury firefighters will still respond and meet the Tisbury truck at a given scene.
West Tisbury Police Chief Matt Mincone said because the accident involved a town vehicle and because West Tisbury Police also responded to the alarm call, he opted to hand the investigation of the accident over to the State Police. The trooper on call at the State Police barracks in Oak Bluffs couldn’t immediately be reached for comment. Sgt. Paul Sullivan, a state police spokesman, told The Times a report on the crash was in progress.Â
My goodness, the poor fire truck! Not a mention of the poor souls nearly crushed by the mechanized mayhem of the absent minded firefighter! Let’s not forget that the police department wouldn’t work the wreck, just passed it off to MSP, as if it’s too difficult to write the at fault fireman a ticket!
One more reason for a regional department or just contract with MSP.
Actually , they probably deferred to MSP so there was no bias and total transparency in the investigation… Plus Anthony… it happened on a STATE HIGHWAY !.
My apologies Mr. Welch, I had no idea that quaint little road was considered a highway…being newer here I’m used to much bigger roads being called highways. As far as law enforcement transparency on this island that is extremely doubtful to believe, even for a newer resident.