Volunteer firefighters dumbstruck as thieves steal fire truck amid Queensland bushfire emergency
/ By Lillian WatkinsAs bushfires rage across the state, several Queensland rural fire depots have been targeted by thieves, with one ransacked before a fire truck was stolen.
Key points:
- A fire truck has been stolen from a Rural Fire Brigade depot south of Mackay
- Crews found the truck and with other equipment missing on Wednesday
- A depot at Sunnyside was also ransacked, with thieves taking "everything they could get their hands on"
Members of the Rural Fire Brigade at Plane Creek, south of Mackay, say the truck, fuel and other gear went missing from their depot on Wednesday.
Brigade president Malcolm Langdon said the discovery was especially heartbreaking given the efforts crews were going to across the state to keep people safe.
"We're all a bit gutted," he said.
'You just can't believe there are people out there that can do such [a thing].
"I mean, they're pinching cars ... but to pinch a fire truck? That's just beyond belief.
"What will they pinch next, ambulances? It never ends."
A yellow "medium attack" fire truck was stolen, along with several other items including chainsaws.
A police spokeswoman said investigations continued.
She asked people to look out for a yellow truck marked with "PLANE CREEK 51" and Rural Fire Service.
Mr Langdon said he wasn't hopeful the truck would be found and returned and worried about the several thousand residents the brigade served.
He said residents would be able to use other fire services, but this could add up to 30 minutes in an emergency, time that could make a critical difference.
Kim Polzin, Rural Fire Service Queensland acting area director for Mackay, said nearby depot Sunnyside had also been broken into.
She said while no trucks were stolen, thieves took everything else "they could get their hands on".
This included a chainsaw, a fridge and batteries.
Ms Polzin said both crews had recently been involved in fighting fires.
"In the last four or five weeks there have been quite large [fires] and actually these two brigades that have been targeted have been on these fires multiple times," she said.
Ms Polzin said both crews were in line to be called to help battle other fires across the state if needed.
"It's very disappointing to hear that someone out they could target very hard-working volunteers who are out there helping their community through the hardest times," Ms Polzin said.
"It's just so disappointing."
Ms Polzin said processes were in place to allocate a spare truck to the Plane Creek crew.
Anyone with information is urged to contact police.