Nov. 5--BEVERLY -- The Beverly Fire Department received a brand-new, $867,000 firetruck this week.

The combination engine and ladder -- the only one in the department -- will be in service around the end of the month, after firefighters go through a few weeks of training on the new vehicle, Capt. Peter O'Connor said.

They worked for about three years to get a new truck, with the major problem being the size of the station. Built some 50 years ago, the tallest truck that can fit is about 11 feet, 3 inches. Firetrucks these days are about 12 feet high.

"In order to get a truck that fit, we had to do some shopping around," O'Connor said.

There was a slight delay in spring 2008, when they had one all picked out from American LaFrance, but the company had to cancel the order due to a financial crisis.

"We basically had to start from scratch," O'Connor said. "But in the meantime, Pierce was able to design a truck that would fit into our station."

The truck is 42 feet long and 11 feet, 3 inches high.

"There's about 3 inches of clearance backing into the station," he said.

Truck One, as it's being called, will replace Ladder One -- a 1988 vehicle that was racking up repairs. Engine One, currently at the main station, will be moved to the Beverly Farms station.

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