Multiple items once owned by Asphodel Fire Trucks Ltd. in Norwood are listed on an online auction site.
Erin Fire Chief Jim Sawkins said the 2017 fire pumper/rescue vehicle ordered by the town in November 2016 is not one of the items listed because its construction has not yet been started.
However, the town has paid a $118,650 deposit to Asphodel, which had its property and building seized by a bailiff in November, according to the Peterborough Examiner.
Erin ordered and put the deposit down for a custom dual-purpose pumper/rescue vehicle to replace a 1985 pumper at the Erin station.
Council approved the $427,000 purchase after considerable discussion in November 2016.
Before the equipment was listed on the Storey’s auction site, Erin communications officer Jessica Spina told the Advertiser, “We have been advised that Asphodel Fire Trucks Ltd. is not closed, but they are currently in the process of refinancing after experiencing an issue with one or more creditors.”
Mayor Allan Alls said he was “dismayed” at the News of the auction, although he remains hopeful the town can recover some, if not all, of the deposit.
“We have a plan and we’re working towards looking after it,” he said.
The plan, he elaborated, would include looking for a new fire truck “either through them as they get back into business, with some guarantees obviously, or we’ll have to go elsewhere.”
Alls said the town is listed as a creditor to Asphodel Fire Trucks Ltd.
“Whether the company gets reorganized and reset up, obviously depends on the trustee of the bankruptcy (and) where it goes from here,” he said.
“I’m hoping that we will either get our money back or get our fire truck.
“Either way we’ll get a fire truck.”
The phone number of Asphodel Fire Trucks Ltd is out of service and emails to president Jeff McNiece were not answered by press time.
