Fire/Rescue News - VOL. FIRE CO. TRACTORS VANDALIZED DAY BEFORE ANNUAL HAY RIDE

EGG HARBOR TWP.--- Seven tractors belonging to the Scullville Vol. Fire Co. had sand poured in their engines by vandals, just one day before the an annual haunted hay ride.

"...Its kind of heart wrenching to think that someone would do this to a fire department as well as a fund raiser," said Chief Mike Fiedor of the Scullville Vol. Co.

It's unknown when the saboteurs struck -- it could have been any one of the last few nights -- but their dastardly deeds were discovered early this morning at the Zion Rd. junkyard turned haunted wonderland.

"...We've had like eight or nine guys here working on them all day, we have them drained out, new oil put in them, we're running them, we're going to drain them out again, put new filters in them," said former chief Wally Shields.

Although the tractors are able to start and idle, theres no telling how much damage the abrasive sand did to the engines, or will continue to do over the next few days or weeks -- and these are the tractors used for the fire company's month long haunted hay ride, which kicks off its ninth year Friday night.

"...At this time right now we're not sure exactly who did it, it seems to us that whoever the person or persons were, targeted Scullville Volunteer Fire Company because there were two extra tractors out here which were not hit, seven of ours were hit," said Fiedor.

Despite the set back, Fiedor said that 'some how, some way, the show will go on', "....if anybody out there would like to help us with a couple of tractors, we could use them, mechanics, anybody who knows anything about mechanics, anything right now, we can get ourselves up and running because opening nights tomorrow night at seven o'clock."

Anyone with any information about the vandalism is asked to call EHT Police at: (609) 927-5200.