Fire department loses equipment to massive fire

ST. JOHNSBURY — A Vermont fire department is hoping its insurance company will pay to replace equipment lost fighting a blaze that heavily damaged a downtown St. Johnsbury building.
Fire Chief Troy Ruggles says firefighters had to abandon hoses, tools and one of its four thermal imaging cameras when they had to flee the 1879 Building on Railroad Street during the Dec. 23 blaze after they were trapped by a wall of fire.
Ruggles told the town select board the thermal camera was the most expensive item lost. It cost about $10,000 new.
The Caledonian Record (http://bit.ly/Vmlwec ) reports it’s not clear yet whether the gutted structure will have to be torn down or whether it can be saved.