An Indiana truck driver has been charged after his rig struck a PennDOT pickup truck and a fire vehicle at the scene of an accident Thursday on I-80 in Northumberland County, PennLive.com reported.

Karanjeet Singh, 28, of Noblesville, was charged with driving too fast for conditions, state police said Friday. The investigation is continuing, they said.

No one was injured in the accident that occurred about 12:45 p.m. Thursday in the eastbound lanes of I-80 in Turbot Township, the report said.

Volunteers with the Turbot Township (PA) Fire Company took to Facebook to remind motorists to be aware of the Steer Clear law.

Construction began recently on Traer Fire’s new building in the empty lot located directly east of the main station at 648 Second Street, TimesRepublican.com reported. Updates were provided at the December 5 Traer City Council meeting.

The new 50’x 88′, six-bay building is being constructed next to the fire station in order to house the department’s biggest trucks including its new aerial truck, while the main building will continue to be used for training, storage, meetings, kitchen and bathroom facilities, and more, the report said.

In the summer, the city earmarked roughly $240,000 in American Rescue Plan Act funds toward the project with the fire department further dedicating both city and rural set-aside funds plus some fundraising to the project’s finances, according to the report.

The hope is that the building will be done before winter sets in completely, the report said.

The Bayville Fire Department was awarded a $34,000 grant that they will use to purchase life-saving equipment, jerseyshoreonline.com reported.

The grant came from the NJ Department of Community Affairs Fiscal Year 2022 American Rescue Plan Firefighter Grant, the report said.

The local grant was part of $10 million in American Rescue Plan money distributed to 293 fire departments throughout the state. The goal was to ensure firefighters have proper protective, cleaning, and sanitization equipment during this time of heightened community need.

Fire departments can use the grant funding to help cover costs associated with the purchases of:

• Protective clothing (turnout clothing ensembles, pants, garments, helmets, hoods, gloves, footwear, etc.);

• Cleaning and advanced cleaning equipment;

• Oxygen equipment;

• Personal protective equipment (PPE); and

• Other fire/virus protection equipment as determined to be appropriate by DCA’s Division of Local Government Services.

The Fairfield mayor and council passed a bond ordinance that will provide an appropriation of $1.2 million for the acquisition of a fire truck for the township and authorize the issuance of $302,000 bond or notes for financing part of the appropriation, tapinto.net reported.  

The next council meeting will be on Monday, Dec. 27 at 7 p.m. in the council chambers.