Gallatin Fire Station damaged by storm

The Gallatin Fire Station sustained heavy damage from the tornado and high winds that hit the area during the early hours of Monday morning, according to Fire Chief Don Lawson.

The rural volunteer department, located on Fairmount Road, provides fire service to the rural area around Siloam Springs stretching to the county line to the east and south, and towards Highfill to the north.

All four of the station's truck bay doors were blown off by the storm and one was never found, Lawson said. In addition, the storm removed 20 percent of the roof, bowed out the back wall and damaged some of the inside plumbing. The fire trucks inside sustained some body damage but were still operational, he said.

After the storm, it took Lawson, who lives on the edge of Siloam Springs, an hour and a half to reach the station because he had to use a chainsaw to clear the roads, he said. Luckily, other firefighters were able to reach the station more quickly and begin to respond to emergency calls, cutting trees off the roads to clear their paths as they went, he said. The volunteers worked from the time the storm struck until about 7:30 to 8 p.m., he said.

Lightning from the storm started a house fire in the Logan Community but firefighters were unable to reach the house because of the blocked roads, Lawson said. Luckily, a firefighter lived next door and was able to cut into the wall and put out the fire in the electrical box with a fire extinguisher, he said.

On Thursday, Lawson said that many roads in the area were down to one lane of traffic and some roads were still closed. He estimated that power wouldn't be completely restored until the first of this week.

It will probably be several weeks before the damage to the fire station can be repaired, Lawson said.

Officials from Siloam Springs, Gentry and Highfill fire departments have offered the Gallatin Fire Department assistance with equipment. Lawson said he may have to take them up on that if the weather turns colder next week and the fire station doesn't have any heat to keep water from freezing up inside truck lines.