Manufacturer Will Pay To Fix Andover Fire Truck

ANDOVER, MA — The $1 million fire truck Andover took delivery of earlier this month will be modified to fit under the Horn Bridge at no cost to the town. Andover Town Manager Andrew Flanagan and Fire Chief Michael Mansfield issued a statement Monday saying Pierce Manufacturing had not built the ladder truck to the exact specifications provided by the town. Andover expects the new truck will be read to put into service in September.

"While the truck had been delivered, it's critical to note that it was never put into active service. Andover Fire Rescue will continue to use its existing Ladder 1 until the new truck is returned to the town and members of the department are trained on its functions," the statement said. "There has been no interruption in service to the town as a result of the new truck's non-conformance."

The ladder truck is about 5 inches too tall to clear the bridge, which has a clearance of 11 feet, 6 inches. Last week, workers from the town of Andover surveyed the Horn Bridge to see if the roadway could be lowered under the bridge to allow the truck to pass.

Horn Bridge runs over Central Street at the intersection of Andover Street and Red Spring Road. The bridge is a notorious rush-hour traffic bottleneck that's occasionally made worse when a truck gets stuck under it, and sits at a key access point dividing the east and west sides of the town