Crime & Safety

Manchester Volunteer Fire Trucks Shuttle Stranded I-84 Limo Passengers

Volunteer officials defend a decision to pick up a group of teenagers and their parents after their limousine broke down on the highway and no other agencies could respond.

A Manchester volunteer fire company used firetrucks to pick up and shuttle a group of 20 stranded teenagers and adults after their limousine broke down on I-84 last week.

The Hartford Courant, which broke the story, said a reader had submitted a tip to the newspaper about the incident, complaining that the Eighth Utilities District Fire Department — which is a volunteer body separate from the town — misused public equipment and taxpayer dollars when it rescued this group on July 24 near Exit 59.

But District Fire Chief Ron Russo defended the move, saying the state police couldn't send anyone to help and CTTransit was unable to provide a bus anytime soon, the Courant reported

Manchester Fire Chief Robert Bycholski told the newspaper that, while the district could have probably utilized a school bus instead, he viewed the rescue as an "act of customer service."

Read the full story on the Courant's website.

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