By Bob Sofaly
City of Beaufort/Town of Port Royal Fire Department’s Engine 4 rolled over onto its side shortly after 7 p.m., Thursday, Nov. 3, while making a turn off Boundary Street onto Robert Smalls Parkway.
The right wheel struck the curb, taking out a large chunk of concrete, and momentum – the engine has a combined weight of 43,000 pounds – took over, rolling the truck over. There were no other vehicles involved.
The two firefighters on board at the time were strapped in and uninjured, according Deputy Chief John Robinson.
“They were a little shaken but nothing serious,” he said. “Both were ambulatory but we took them to Beaufort Memorial Hospital” just to be sure.
Robinson said the engine, a Pierce “Enforcer” was the newest engine in the Department’s fleet.
“It’s not new, new, but it’s less than a year old,” he said, as he removed the American flag from the back of the engine. “I’m just glad nobody got hurt.”
Interstate Towing of Beaufort had to use its heavy duty tow truck to right the engine before it could be towed away. All the associated firefighting equipment was salvaged and placed onto a second wrecker to be used again.
Robinson said Engine 4’s sister truck, a nearly identical twin, will be here in February of 2023.
The accident investigation will be conducted by the S.C. Highway Patrol.
Bob Sofaly has been photographing people and what they do in Beaufort since Ronald Reagan was elected president in 1980. He can be reached at bobsofaly@gmail.com.
