WOODWARD, Iowa — A box culvert collapsed Sunday afternoon in the 2800 block of 140th Street near Woodward, temporarily trapping several units of the Woodward and Bouton fire departments that were battling a grass fire in the area.
No injuries were reported when the driver’s-side front wheel of a Bouton Volunteer Fire Department tinder truck fell into a deep hole that opened above the culvert on the dead-end stretch of 140th Street just west of T Avenue.
The incident occurred about 4:30 p.m. Other fire department vehicles were farther west of the disabled vehicle, with no exit from the dead end.
Dan’s Towing of Adel responded and lifted the front end of the tinder truck out of the hole, but it was not immediately apparent how the hole would be covered in order to permit the fire department vehicles to cross eastward over the culvert.
A crew from the Dallas County Secondary Roads Department responded and posted road-closed signs on 140th Street at T Avenue. It is unknown at this time the age of the culvert in the unnamed tributary of Beaver Creek.
Public safety radio traffic indicated that the vehicles were eventually released from the dead end about 5:40 p.m.
The Dallas County Sheriff’s office also responded.
ThePerryNews.com will update this story as information becomes available.
