Small New Jersey Town Sues Philadelphia Over Fire Boat Damage

A small New Jersey town is asking a court to find Philadelphia responsible for an accident that caused damage to a fire boat.

The suburban community of Westville is suiting over a September 2010 accident during which its fire boat and crews from Philadelphia were trying to put out a blaze at a petroleum plant on the Delaware River.

Westville contends that when the boats were told to “hold off,” the Philadelphia Fire Department’s vessel Independence made an abrupt turn that caused two large wakes and pushed Westville’s Fire Boat 7 into equipment on a dock.

Westville says the damage wrecked the boat, which was worth $140,000.

The municipalities have been engaged in a legal battle over the incident for years. The case was moved to federal court last week.