(Photos submitted by Pam George and the Merrimack Fire Department)
A sealcoating truck was destroyed and a part of the parking lot at Reeds Ferry Elementary School was damaged when the truck, being used to repair the lot caught fire Saturday afternoon.
Merrimack Fire Department was called to a truck fire at the school just before 3:30 p.m. Responding firefighters could see thick black smoke from Wire Road while en route to the school, according to Capt. John Manuele, the Merrimack Fire Marshal.
Upon arrival a rack body truck was found fully involved. Engine 1 personnel made an aggressive attack and were able to extinguish the fire in a short time. An extensive overhaul was needed due to the amount of damage as well as the material involved in the fire.
Capt. Manuele was called to investigate.
According to a press release from the Merrimack fire Department, the truck, a 1999 Dodge 3500 rack body pickup owned by New England Sealcoating of Hingham Massachusetts, was being used to perform pavement repairs in the school parking lot. The work crew noticed smoke rising from the bed of the truck.
The truck contained several pieces of power equipment as well as cardboard boxes of rubber crack patching material, plastic drums of sand and cans of gasoline. All the materials as well as the truck were destroyed in the fire.
The fire spread to a small area of grass and damaged the surface of the parking lot in the area of the circle at the front of the school, according to the press release.
No injuries were reported.
The cause of the fire is undetermined, however it is not believed to be suspicious, Manuele said in the press release.
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