The Revelstoke fire department's highway rescue truck is out of commission indefinitely after it crashed into the ditch while returning to Revelstoke from a call.
The incident happened on Dec. 20 at about 6:30 p.m. on the Trans-Canada Highway right at the entrance to Mt. Revelstoke National Park's Meadows in the Sky Parkway.
Revelstoke fire chief Rob Girard said the truck hit a patch of black ice and crashed. None of the six firefighters on the truck were injured.
“But they certainly were shaken by this incident and we are so glad no one was hurt," Girard said.
At the scene, it looked like the westbound rescue truck may have hit the ice near the overpass that leads into Mt. Revelstoke National Park. The truck came to rest in the right-hand ditch.
“It sustained severe drive train and frame damage," Girard said in a statement. "For now we are only able to provide highway rescue for in-city and within the [Revelstoke] fire protection area for motor vehicle incidents."
The fire department is looking to lease a truck, and hopes to have it in service by Dec. 24.
In the meantime, Revelstoke first responders can only cover inside the City of Revelstoke's fire protection area. Outside that, neighbouring road rescue departments will be covering the highways around Revelstoke.