Blaze extinguished after firetruck wreck

♦ No injuries are reported in either incident.

Read more about the wreck involving Rome-Floyd Fire Department’s Quint 3 and the fire incident on Flannery Street inside on

Rome fire department was responding to a structure fire on Flannery Street Wednesday evening when one of the department’s multi-purpose vehicles collided with a Dodge pickup truck at an intersection a block from the fire.

“(They) never slowed down coming through that stop sign,” truck driver Rocky Calvert said.

Calvert only received bruises from his run-in with the fire quint truck, although he said he felt very shaky.

According to Rome police Lt. Danny Story, the fire quint was traveling south on Flannery toward the structure fire when it struck the Dodge who was turning onto Flannery from 19th Street.

Assistant Chief Debbie Burnett of Rome police said the driver of the quint did not use due regard when entering the four-way stop and was cited with running a stop sign. Even when an emergency vehicle has its lights and sirens activated they must still use due regard when coming upon stop signs or red lights, Burnett said.

Due to the wreck, the quint was unable to make it to the structure fire, and according to scanner traffic called for backup and instructed the additional fire unit around the wreck and to the fire.

The fire was a small metal out building behind 2006 Flannery St. which was caused by arson Rome-Floyd Fire Investigator Mary Catherine Chewning said. She added the residents of the property told her there was a domestic dispute the night before, but it was not reported to law enforcement. Chewning believes the two incidents are connected. There were no injuries and the firefighters were able to quickly extinguish the flames after they arrived.

Photos by John Popham Above: Rome-Floyd Fire Department firefighter Joseph Wilson hoses down flames in a shed behind 2006 Flannery St. The blaze was extinguished soon after their arrival. Right: En route to the fire, Rome-Floyd Fire Department’s Quint No. 3 was involved in a wreck with a Dodge pickup truck. According to Rome police Lt. Danny Story, the fire engine was traveling south on Flannery Street and the truck was heading west on 19th Street and turned onto Flannery, colliding with the fire truck. Fortunately no one was injured in the collision, Story said.

/ John Popham The intersection at 19th and Flannery streets was a mixture of Rome fire, police and Floyd EMS following the collision of fire quint No. 3 with a Dodge pickup truck. The truck driver said he did not see or hear the fire truck when he was turning.

/ John Popham Rome-Floyd County Fire Investigator Mary Catherine Chewning (center) believes the shed behind 2006 Flannery St. was intentionally set on fire.