27 of 28 firefighters in Maine town quit over safety issues

THORNDIKE, Maine (AP) — Nearly all of a Maine town’s firefighters have quit following a heated meeting with local officials.

The Bangor Daily News reports all but one of the 28 members in the volunteer department in Thorndike resigned after the town Select Board meeting Wednesday.

The firefighters say in a letter that they are resigning due to “outdated and unsafe equipment” that town officials refuse to replace.

Before the meeting, the firefighters had wanted the town to reinstate George Russell as a firefighter and release about $85,000 from the department’s truck and equipment replacement fund.

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Russell stepped down from chief after he acknowledged stealing more than $5,000 from the department in 2014.

Second Selectman Bob Carter says the town has mutual aid agreements with other communities in case of emergencies.

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Information from: Bangor Daily News, http://www.bangordailynews.com