Bullet zips through fire truck's window

ROSWELL, N.M. (KRQE) - Volunteer firefighters in Chaves County are on high alert after they said someone shot at one of their trucks.

The Berrendo Volunteer Fire Department said no one was injured when the bullet struck a window, but the crew was pretty shaken up.

Firefighters said this happened as they were driving down Main Street late last Thursday. They said they have no idea why anyone would shoot at an unarmed fire truck.

Tom Mealand has been fighting fire for more than 20 years.

"There are inherent dangers in fire fighting, if you get into it thinking you're not, you're crazy," Mealand said.

He and others with the department put there lives on the line every time they hop in a fire engine.

"But you don't think people are going to shoot at you driving down the street," Mealand said.

The incident happened around 3:00 a.m. Thursday. The crew was returning from a long day, battling the Cato Fire East of Roswell. They heard gunshots hen they came to the intersection of Main and 19th.

"Next thing they know the passenger side window is laying in their lap, we are very fortunate that nobody got hurt," Mealand said.

Firefighters said a long day of hard work may have saved their lives. The firefighter was reclined in the passenger's seat when a bullet shattered the passenger's window, whizzed through the cab and exited the driver's window without hurting anyone.

Mealand said the crew pulled over to make sure everything was all right. He said the car they saw in the area was gone by the time the police arrived.

Police don't have any suspects at this time.