FIRE DESTROYS FIRE STATION

Fort Branch, Ind., is where we find this slice o' irony. The Associated Press reports:

The blaze broke out about 10 p.m. Monday while firefighters were responding to a call at Fort Branch Community School, said Rob Houchins, chief of the Fort Branch-Union Township Fire Department.

Firefighters in the department's two pumper trucks were stuck at a railroad crossing on the way back to the station in the town about 20 miles north of Evansville. By the time they arrived, Houchins said the building, which was more than 80 years old, was lost to the fire.

"When we first pulled up, there were flames coming up through the roof," Houchins said.

No injuries were reported. The fire's cause remained under investigation Tuesday, but Houchins said arson was not suspected.

Fire crews from Haubstadt, Owensville, Princeton and Toyota Motor Manufacturing helped fight the fire in the building, which also housed the South Gibson School Corp. central office and the Union Township trustee's office.

The department's rescue truck was inside when the fire started, but firefighters managed to pull out before the roof collapsed, Houchins said. No other vital equipment was damaged.

Just the pride of the Fort Branch-Union Township Fire Department.