The $300,000 pumper truck was ordered a year ago and was finished and delivered to the department at the beginning of this year.  

A grant from the Rural Fire District covered $200,000 of the cost, with part of that coming from a special county bond. The remaining $100,000 was paid by the City of Milford.

That’s a lot of money, but Kral said the all-volunteer department deserves it

Authorities say they were using it as protection while first responders worked an accident on the westbound lanes of Expressway 83. An 18-wheeler then slammed into it.  

A firefighter in the truck was treated at an area hospital. He has since been released.

Officials say, however, that the truck won’t be back in service anytime soon.

“What we have is, we have vehicles that are in reserve whenever we have one of our units do down,” says McAllen Fire Department Chief Rafael Balderas. “We have a replacement to come in and take its place. That’s what we’ve done.”

Fourteen vehicles, including the department’s fire truck, were towed away from the scene.

State Fire Marshal Butch Browning says the firefighter, who was with the West Feliciana Fire Protection District, was struck by a secondary vehicle working a crash on U.S. 61 The firefighter was pronounced dead at a local hospital. He has been identified as Wakefield Fire Chief Russell Achord, 48.   

The initial investigation revealed the West Feliciana Parish Sheriff's Office and the Wakefield Fire Department were investigating a wreck in the southbound lanes of U.S. 61, while at the same time, Robert McCoy, 51, of Tallulah, was driving southbound on U.S. 61 in a 2018 Dodge Ram 5500 pulling a trailer. McCoy lost control of his truck on the icy road as he approached the scene of the wreck. His truck hit multiple first responder vehicles and Achord as he was helping one of the drivers on the scene.

Achord sustained serious injuries and was transported to a local hospital, where he was later pronounced dead. McCoy was wearing his seat belt at the time of the wreck and was not injured.