Fire station re-opens after being damaged in 2014 blaze

BRUCETON, Tenn. — Bruceton Fire Chief James Sloan is used to fighting fires, but typically not within his own building.

“It was a very rough day in Bruceton, but we got through it,” he said.

Nearly four years ago, a blaze damaged Bruceton’s only fire department, damaging several thousands of dollars in equipment.

But Thursday, Chief Sloan unveiled a brand new station.

“We’re proud of it,” he said. “A lot of hard work went into it, and I think it’s a very important asset to the town.”

Chief Sloan says the new building is four times as big as the old one and made of fire resistant materials.

“It’s just been a tremendous upgrade for the town to have a better fire station,” Bruceton Mayor Robert Keeton said.

Before the new building, Mayor Keaton says they had nowhere to operate after the fire, turning to the city for help.

“The city had some space in buildings that was big enough to house some of the equipment, and we operated out of those,” he said.

Mayor Keeton says construction on the new building started in 2017.

“It’s very important to have a fire department. It affects the citizens ISO ratings and provides a service for the community,” he said.

With a new permanent home, Chief Sloan says he hopes to better serve the community.

“I know the firemen are proud of it, and the people who live in Bruceton, they can be proud of it too,” he said.

The fire chief says he believes the flames were sparked by a faulty alternator on a truck.

The new station officially opened on Saturday.