This incredible chateau-like firehouse was built by Napoleon Le Brun  at a cost of $80,000 in 1896. It was home to Engine Company 31 until 1972 when it was decommissioned by the FDNY. Fortunately, it was listed on the National Registry of Historic Places ten months before, so the structure still survives today. In 1983, DCTV and the Chinese-American Planning Council purchased the building for $400,000, and performed additional restoration work.

Belleville Fire Department Chief Tom Pour agreed to house the historic truck.

“It was for sale for a while after he passed away,” Belleville Historical Society president Larry Betz said about how the organization acquired the vehicle. “But the family didn’t like the idea of it potentially leaving Belleville for good, so they decided to donate it.”

Chances are, if you’ve been to a parade in Belleville some time over the past 30 years, you’ve seen the open cab truck with it’s distinctive Mars light over the grill that bobs left and right as the truck goes down the road and it’s pinwheel light just behind the driver.

Ardell’s daughter, Ginger Miller, said her father would be thrilled to see the truck stay in Belleville where it will continue to be used in parades instead of having it be bought by an out-of-state fire truck aficionado.

“He collected vehicles and had several,” Ginger Miller said. “But this one was always his favorite.”

Retired Belleville Fire Department Capt. Frank Stolze, one of the last people to drive the truck when it was still in service, manned the wheel for the trip from Gateway Classic Cars in O’Fallon where it was for sale back to Belleville.

“The fire truck came blazing through, sirens,” said witness Lucy Treadway. “We’re watching it, we’re watching it, and then all of a sudden, bam!”

A terrified Treadway was walking her baby when it happened, and said the fire truck driver didn’t even hit the brakes.

“He obviously didn’t look,” Treadway said.

The rig wound up with a mangled front bumper and the driver’s windshield knocked out.

The 12 civilians and two firefighters who were hurt suffered non-life threatening injuries. Four of the injured victims were taken to the hospital along with the firefighters.

“I was on the phone, and when I came back to it, I was on the other side of the bus,” Torres said.

Witnesses say the fire engine had its lights flashing and siren on as i