A suburban Sydney fireman has been suspended after his station was unable to answer an emergency call because he had allegedly driven the fire engine on a pizza run, fire officials said on Monday.
The New South Wales Fire Brigade has launched an inquiry into the incident.
“This is extremely rare — I mean, I would say that this incident is unheard of in the New South Wales Fire Brigades in regards to utilising fire appliances in an inappropriate manner, and as I said it’s being thoroughly investigated,” said assistant fire commissioner John Benson.
In the incident, first reported on Monday by the Daily Telegraph newspaper, a member of the suburban Maroubra fire brigade allegedly drove the station’s only pump truck to a local pizza shop and then took several friends on a joy ride.
While the truck was gone, the station was called to respond to an automatic fire-door alarm in its district.
“Obviously the crew at the station couldn’t respond because the pumper was being unlawfully used to take civilians for a joyride,” one of the brigade officers wrote in a letter of complaint received by the Daily Telegraph.
Benson said other fire brigades responded to the alarm and there had been no danger to the public.
The officer involved in the alleged incident is under investigation and has been suspended on full pay, he said.
The state opposition Liberal Party called for a public inquiry into the incident.
“This is not a humorous matter; this was a fire truck and somebody could have died,” said party spokesperson Andrew Humpherson. “In this case fortunately there was no risk to life, but in another instance lives could have been lost.” — AFP