The city is purchasing the vehicle after voters approved an $820,000 bond to purchase new equipment for the fire department. Property owners are paying 15 cents per $1,000 of assessed value more in property taxes to pay the bonds.

The councilmembers previously approved paying $411,000 to purchase a fire engine from Pennsylvania-based Kovatch Mobile Equipment.

Larson recently had a heart and kidney transplant at Mount Sinai Hospital and was being transferred to A. Holly Patterson Extended Care Facility in Uniondale for rehabilitation.

An EMT, 47-year-old Renato Endrada, of Queens, who was also on board, suffered a broken leg and concussion, police said.

A source close to the crash investigation told Eyewitness News that the ambulance was doing a routine transport at the time, and was not running with its lights and siren turned on. Investigators are now trying to figure out what caused the crash, as the ambulance went straight off the road and struck the bridge abutment for no obvious reason.

The new fire truck building will be located next to the general store and print shop on the Historical Society’s grounds.

John Koster of the Carlinville Fire Department said they hope to have the building completed by the end of the summer, depending on how donations for the project come through. Individuals and businesses have been providing donations to make this project possible.

"It was a very happy moment," said Tami. "It was very happy. I was very proud of him, very proud of him. "