By Guy Page
When a Burlington man who was overdosing stole the ambulance sent to rescue him Sunday, November 5, a Burlington firefighters’ representative called the incident “definitely a new low for Burlington.” A week later, early this morning, brazen disrespect for the city’s public safety professionals may have sunk even lower: someone tried to set the Police Department on fire.
The two events are not known to be related – except that in both cases no-one was injured while making the city’s lifesavers’ jobs harder than ever.
According to a Burlington Fire Dept. statement, on November 13 at 2:02 AM, the Burlington Fire Department was dispatched for an alarm activation at the Burlington Police Department, located at 1 North Avenue. While fire department units were responding, they were advised of a smoke condition in the lobby and notified that the Emergency Communications Center (ECC), located within the Burlington Police Department building, was being evacuated.
Crews arrived to find a small fire had been set in the lobby, resulting in the activation of sprinkler and a smoke condition within the building. The fire was extinguished prior to the arrival of the fire department by the activation of a single sprinkler head. Crews conducted searches of the immediate area and were able to confirm that the fire had not spread beyond the initial area of origin.
As a result of the fire and subsequent sprinkler activation, significant water and smoke damage was sustained to the building and the ECC was temporarily evacuated. Existing emergency plans were implemented ensuring dispatch services remained in place throughout this disruption. The ECC located at 1 North Avenue has since been reoccupied.
Members of the Burlington Fire Department Fire Marshal’s Office were on scene to assist with the ongoing investigation. Anyone with information regarding this intentionally set fire are asked to contact the Burlington Fire Marshal’s Office at 864-5577 or the Burlington Police Department at 658-2704.
The Burlington Firefighters Association released this statement: “Last Sunday night (Nov. 5) while on scene at a suspected overdose, the ambulance was stolen by the individual who was reported to have overdosed. The ambulance was located down the road, abandoned and crashed into a parked car. Witnesses report the individual exited the ambulance while it was still in drive. Luckily it was a low speed crash with minor damage and no one was injured. This is definitely a new low for Burlington. It also appears that this individual was cited and released on the condition that they show up for court the next day.”
Mitchell Bissonette was cited for grand larceny, operating without owner’s consent, and negligent operation of a vehicle.
Categories: Burlington
Time to double the Diversity and Inclusion budget!
Lol
Time to change how addicts and thementally ill are delt with because their light touch pandering isn’t the solution. Stop reviving the addicts that od multiple times.
Saving people’s lives is their job! You don’t pick and choose who you want to save or let die when you go out to save people!
Did Bissonette show up for court the next day?
Those who refuse to learn history are condemned to repeat it. Every major blue city has done the same thing over and over again with the same results… leftist ideologies are responsible and to allow them to continue is criminally insane
The other saying that applies to leftist governance: “Insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results.” That witticism is usually attributed to Albert Einstein.
I must be psychic, I guessed Burlington from the headline before I clicked on it. Wow!
…and the irony is that one of Burlington’s most visible encampments and hangouts of vagrants and troublemakers is right next door to the police station in Battery Park. Isn’t demo-prog governance wonderful?
They don’t have a camera in the lobby?
Burlington…. has become nothing but trash.