The Central Otago District Council has spent $83,000 on a new rural-fire water tanker after one was destroyed in an accident earlier this year.
On January 24, CODC Rural Fire Authority Officer Kenneth McGarry was trapped in the driver's seat of an 8000-litre water tanker for almost two hours, after the vehicle rolled down an embankment on private property near Alexandra.
Mr McGarry was driving the tanker in response to a fire callout to Letts Gully Rd, when part of a dirt driveway gave way under the tanker's weight, causing the vehicle to roll.
Firefighters used jaws of life to cut into the tanker, removing parts of the roof and inside cab, including the steering wheel.
Insurance offset the council's costs for a new tanker by $72,000.
The cab and chassis from the damaged tanker were also sold for $4000, making the actual cost to the council $7000.
