WAHPETON, ND – Wahpeton Fire Department sold its 1973 ladder truck on eBay to a man in North Carolina for $4,550. Roland Gilliam bought the truck for his own private use and plans to loan it to the local fire department for training, according to the Wahpeton Daily News. The truck will mainly be used for maintenance at the local airport. Also, Gilliam may use the truck for work in his construction company.

The Wahpeton Fire Department decided to advertise the ladder truck on eBay because it had been advertised since June 2006 in other sources, and no one seemed to want to buy it. Wahpeton Alderman Lane Wateland offered the use of his eBay account to sell the truck. On Jan. 17, the fire department posted the truck on eBay for a reserve price of $4,500 for a seven-day auction. By the fourth day, one person had bid on the truck for the reserve price. On the last day of the auction, Gilliam called Klovstad to ask specific questions about the truck. Gilliam then bid $4,550 about 10 minutes before the auction closed and won the bid.

The Wahpeton Fire Department said they would use eBay again to sell a vehicle or other equipment. If the equipment doesn’t sell locally, then the fire department would post equipment on eBay for auction.