Fire engine vandalism 'could have cost lives'

Vandalism of a Kaikohe fire engine - like this one responding to a house fire on Guerin St - could have cost lives, firefighters say. PHOTO / Aimee Ruka

A vandal's attack on a Northland fire engine could have cost lives, the Mid North's top cop says.

Senior Sergeant Brian Swann, of Mid North police, said someone had cut the brake cables and wiring on a Kaikohe fire engine while it was parked outside due to earthquake strengthening work at the fire station. No other vehicles in the area were tampered with.

"It's very, very disappointing. If there had a been a call-out to a fire or a crash the brigade wouldn't have been able to respond. Whoever did it put people's lives at risk."

Kaikohe fire chief Bill Hutchinson said firefighters discovered the truck had no brakes on the morning of May 22 when they went to move it out of the car yard where it had been parked overnight. Otherwise they wouldn't have found out until the next call-out - a fire at 3.30am the following day.

The people who could have suffered most were those who needed the brigade in an emergency.

If one of Kaikohe's fire engines was out of action another brigade would have to respond from further afield, delaying the volunteers' arrival by half an hour. In the previous week the brigade had responded to about 15 call-outs, three of which involved fatalities, Mr Hutchinson said.

The vandal had also put the firefighters, and other road users, at risk by disabling the brakes. It was a deliberate act which required someone to crawl under the truck.

"It's not like someone's just walked past and slashed a tyre" - and came as the brigade was stretched and needed more volunteers. The fire engine has since been repaired. Police are investigating.