A fire which apparently began in a malfunctioning ceiling fan at the Madison Inn brought a quick response from the Oak Bluffs fire department Tuesday afternoon.
Against a bitter backdrop of union contract negotiations and charges of unfair labor practices, Oak Bluffs selectmen voted Tuesday to separate the functions of emergency medical service (EMS) personnel from call firefighters.
With the snip of a long red ribbon, the new $8.3 million Oak Bluffs fire station officially opened for business Tuesday. The station has nearly 20,000 square feet of space.
The Fourth of July holiday weekend proved a busy time for Island first responders, who responded to several calls, including a fire in a downtown Edgartown restaurant Saturday morning.
Two men were uninjured after the Jeep they were traveling in caught fire near the Big Bridge on Beach Road Friday afternoon. The Oak Bluffs fire department said their response was delayed because traffic did not yield to the emergency vehicles but they quickly extinguished the fire once they arrived.