Another VFD chief suffers fire loss
Bakersfield and Tecumseh VFDs responded to put out the fire of this 2006 Dodge Ram 2500 truck belonging to Bakersfield fire chief Greg Watts and wife Zaylor Feb. 20. The cause of the fire was electrical, a fire investigator found.
Bakersfield Volunteer Fire Department chief Greg Watts and wife Zaylor lost their 2006 Dodge Ram 2500 truck to a fire early Wednesday, Feb. 20. Zaylor told the Times she had started the truck around 7:30 that morning to let it warm up before going to the store with her daughters.
“I usually let it warm up 15 or 20 minutes because it’s a diesel, and they kind of require it,” Zaylor said. “I walked out of the house to leave, and boom! The truck was on fire.”
Zaylor quickly dialed 911, and Ozark County Sheriff’s Department dispatcher Ken Burnett sent firefighters from Bakersfield and Tecumseh VFDs to the house to put out the fire. No one was hurt, but the truck was a total loss.
“Generally we respond to other people’s need for help. But Wednesday was different. We were on the other end needing help…” Zaylor posted on Facebook over the weekend. “We want to remind you to use extra caution when letting your vehicles run to warm up. Don’t put your kids in their car seats until you are ready to leave. Don’t leave your children unattended in your running vehicle. Wednesday could have been a lot worse for us had anyone been in my truck. We are very thankful and blessed. Thank you to Tecumseh FD and our Bakersfield FD.”
A fire investigator inspected the truck and determined that the fire had an electrical origin and started just outside the fuse box. The Watts have full-coverage insurance and have been working with their insurance company to file a claim. Zaylor said she was surprised to find that the contents inside her vehicle, including her children’s car seats, are not covered by her insurance. She says those items are generally covered with renters or homeowners insurance.
The Bakersfield fire chief’s vehicle loss came about a month after another Ozark County fire chief – Timber Knob VFD chief Nancy Winslow – lost her home to a fire that is believed to have had an electrical source. The home, off Highway 5 south near the state line, was a total loss, but no one was injured in the fire or the firefighting efforts.