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Belleville fire truck, purchased in 1935, returns to city

BELLEVILLE, Ill. (AP) - An 81-year-old fire truck not retired from service in Belleville until 1978 is back in a city firehouse.

The Belleville News-Democrat reports (http://bit.ly/28XPk26 ) that the family of the 1935 truck's owner, Ardell Miller, donated it to the Belleville Historical Society after Miller's recent death.

Society president Larry Betz says the family didn't like the idea that the truck - originally for sale at $23,000 - might leave Belleville, so decided to donate it.

Ardell Miller bought the Central fire truck for $1,700 at an auction.

It will be featured in parades as it has been for decades. The open-cab truck, which was on a fire scene as late as 1977, has an oscillating Mars light above the grille and a pinwheel light just behind the driver.

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Information from: Belleville News-Democrat, http://www.bnd.com

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