By BOB SHRALUKA
WZBD.com
The Decatur Fire Department played a prominent role in battling that huge fire at a downtown building in Bluffton on Thursday.
Several area fire departments assisted, but Decatur sent its large aerial truck and another truck because Bluffton’s aerial truck was out of order.
“We sent our aerial (see photo) and an engine (truck), and 10 of us (firefighters),” Fire Chief Jeff Sheets said Friday.
Several of them returned to the scene Friday with the aerial because of the problem with Bluffton’s big truck. “We kind of are on standby for them,” Sheets said.
At 70 degrees, Decatur’s aerial will extend 102 feet.
Ironically, the same Decatur aerial truck, a 1997 model, was called upon for another major fire in Bluffton when the Dutch Mill restaurant burned down in March of 2008.
An historic Bluffton building was considered a total loss after Thursday’s fire, which was first reported around 9 a.m. It was a commercial building which was being used as a home by its owner and his family, according to Bluffton Fire Chief Don Craig.
All occupants were able to safely escape.
According to Craig, the fire spread up to the attic and firefighters who went upstairs became trapped inside for a time, but were rescued and were recovering.
“We couldn’t do what were doing without the help of all the other departments here,” Craig told WPTA 21 Alive.
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