The fire chief spoke to the selectmen in two sessions — in December and in February — making the case for a new $725,000 pumper-tanker in the coming 2018-19 budget year, not next year as in the five-year capital spending plan.

The pumper-tanker could put a larger volume of water on a fire sooner. It would replace two other trucks, 17-year-old Engine 4 and 32-year-old Tanker 10.

“This vehicle will be smaller and more maneuverable than the existing tanker, which was not designed to be an attack truck,” the department’s budget says. “By reducing two separate use vehicles to a single dual use vehicle we will reduce the size of our fleet while increasing the fast attack capabilities of the department.”

Police said they arrested 45-year-old Gregory Bomba, of Newtown, after an investigation into a fire in the back parking lot of Echo Hose Company #1 during a past captain’s dinner on Feb. 3.

Investigators determined that a fire had been set in the back of a pickup that was parked abutting the firehouse at 379 Coram Ave., police said.

The fire happened last week at the Coronaca Fire Station in Greenwood County.

Greenwood County Fire Coordinator Steve Holmes confirmed SLED was asked to investigate the fire at the station, located on Willard Road.

Holmes said the investigation isn't because the fire is suspicious in nature, but because it was a volunteer department and they want a third party to determine the cause.

The tanker brings the number of trucks for the department to three tankers provided by the county and a brush truck which was paid for by Wagram.

The pumper is the newest truck in the replacement rotation for Scotland County Fire Departments and cost the county $334,500. Four engines have been purchased so far including one for North Laurinburg and one for Stewartsville fire departments.

“It’s part of a 12-year plan for every department to get trucks,” said County Manager Kevin Patterson. “We’ll get one truck a year for the next eight years. By the end every department will wind up two new trucks.”