Firetruck’s window smashed

A FIRETRUCK recently donated by the Queensland Fire and Emergency Services had one of its cabin windscreens smashed at a Motu Koita village on Monday.
According to deputy chief fire officer Lua Roa, the incident occurred after firefighters from the downtown station were responding to a fire at Hanuabada. Roa stressed that the truck was one of five fully-kitted ones given by the Queensland Fire and Emergency Services earlier this year to help boost the fire service’s emergency response capability in National Capital District and surrounding areas.
“The PNG Fire Service, through an existing partnership with Queensland Fire and Emergency Services, secured these refurbished multi-purpose fire trucks capable of responding to firefighting operations and road accident rescue,” Roa said.
“It is just unfortunate that many people do not respect the work firefighters do and continue to harass, assault our personnel and damage vital life-saving equipment worth thousands of kina.
From initial reports, firefighters from the station were trying to contain a fire which broke out from an unused canteen in the village.
“A large crowd gathered and created a commotion at the scene and while the fire crew were busy carrying out their firefighting operation, an object was thrown from the midst of the crowd and smashed one of the back cabin windows.
“Other bystanders alerted the firefighters about the incident but the culprit could not be identified.”