Packed tightly in a warehouse set up by the authorities, the emergency vehicles - some 100 years old - were meant to have eventually been rehoused in a museum but the plans fell through.

Fire departments across the country tried, and failed, to raise funds in the 1990s to restore the dozens of retired engines.

As a result, the vehicles wound up in this secret location in rural France: a fire engine 'graveyard'. 

As part of the dedication, firefighters placed their hands on the new engine as South Emerson Church of God Pastor Paul Kirby said a prayer. The new engine was then sprayed down with water from the to-be-retired fire engine. Firefighters then pushed the new engine into the station, getting it ready to go out and serve the community.

“It’s going to be a fine truck for the citizens of Beech Grove,” said Brian Butler, engineer. “It will be a nice, safe truck for our firefighters on the job. Safety is something we took number one priority in. We’re happy that Smeal and Hoosier Fire came together to build such a nice engine for us.”

A committee consisting of Beech Grove firefighters Butler, Michael Boone and Brent Henady worked for the past two years to design a fire engine. The firemen listened to the ideas of everyone on their shifts, working together to create the safest, most efficient truck possible within the given budget. The estimated value is $389,000.00 and is paid in full.

A disciplinary report said the lieutenant and his engineer failed to tell their boss when the only fire truck at the station broke down.

The report said it was a leak in the engine, and the lieutenant mentioned it to maintenance, but chose not to stay awake to show them the problem.

Lt. Erik Quarterman and the engineer, Robert Battle, received written reprimands.

Records show that on May 13, Quarterman reported a leak on engine 43, but he went to bed before finding out the status of the truck.

Battle’s disciplinary form shows he too went to bed instead of waiting on maintenance to finish checking out the truck.

Maintenance eventually reported the truck as “out of service” to dispatch.

The truck crossed the median from the northbound to the southbound lanes and rolled a couple times, ending up in the west ditch. The tanker actually separated from the rest of the truck.

The driver of the fire truck, 47-year-old Michael Schultz of Hoyt, was killed. Social media posts described Schultz as a veteran firefighter. A passenger, 36-year-old Randy Smith of Mayetta, was taken to the hospital with injuries.