A blaze at an East Point fire station Friday evening left several pieces of equipment damaged, including the loss of an engine.
A passerby reported the fire at Station 3 along North Commerce Drive at about 11:30 p.m. Just a minute later, crews who worked at the station confirmed that the bay area was in flames, East Point city spokeswoman Renita Shelton said. Firefighters responded to the station about 10 minutes later and worked to extinguish the blaze.
All fire personnel living at the station were safely evacuated and then helped to get the fire under control, Shelton confirmed. When the blaze broke out, crews were not able to extinguish the fire themselves due to it being located in the bay area where firefighting equipment is stored, Shelton said. No injuries were reported.
The blaze destroyed an older fire engine, the bay area and other firefighting gear. Shelton said the roof in the bay area was damaged, as well as the living quarters, but no structural damage occurred.
When a fire occurs at a station, the protocol is the same as for any other home or business. Shelton said a 911 call must still be made to identify if other engines and firefighters need to respond.
Authorities are working to determine how much it will cost to repair and replace all damaged items. The fire is not expected to impact the department’s ability to respond to emergency calls.
“The East Point Fire Department will continue to provide sufficient fire and EMS services in the territory serviced by Fire Station #3,” East Point fire Chief Corey Thornton said. “Citizens and businesses in the area can rest assured, knowing their fire and EMS needs will continue to be met.”
The cause of the fire remains under investigation.
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