Belgium fire truck is back

The Belgium Fire Department’s 1995 pumper that blew an engine while on its way to a training session last fall has returned new and improved.

The truck received a new engine installed at How-Dea Service Center in Belgium.

Fire Chief Dan Birenbaum had hoped the truck would be back by January, but a delay in delivery of the new engine pushed that date back.

Birenbaum said there were no warning signs and that the blown engine was nobody’s fault.

Town Chairman Tom Winker tried for hours to find a warranty on the engine without luck.

The $29,700 bill for the new engine was split between the department and the town and village of Belgium.

The Town Board paid $12,000 and the village paid $8,800, with the split done according to equalized property value.

The town’s portion, Winker said, would impact another fund.

“I can tell you where it’s going to come out of — the road budget,” he said.

The department paid the remaining $8,900.

The truck is slated to be replaced in 2025, according to the department’s schedule.