By NEAL WAGNER / Managing Editor

ALABASTER – An Alabaster fire inspector went “above and beyond” to help an elderly resident after a malfunction caused a U.S. Postal Service truck to back into the resident’s house, according to the city’s fire chief.

At about 10:30 a.m. on Thursday, Aug. 4, a U.S. Postal Service truck was in the process of making deliveries when the truck malfunctioned and backed into a house in the 100 block of Park Place Lane. Alabaster Fire Chief Jim Golden said the cause of the wreck is still under investigation, but said the vehicle likely was unoccupied when it struck the house.

The vehicle did not cause extensive damage to the home, but did break one of the home’s front windows. Golden said the house was occupied by an elderly homeowner at the time of the incident.

“She was unable to do anything to secure the property, and she didn’t have any family members who were immediately able to help her,” Golden said, noting Postal Service regulations prevent postal employees from handling projects on private property.

Shortly after the incident, city fire inspector Michael Waits drove by the home and saw the damage, stopped and offered to help.

“The house was essentially unsecured, and he wanted to do something to secure it until more permanent repairs could be made,” Golden said.

Waits traveled to a nearby home improvement store, purchased plywood and hardware and used it to cover the broken window.

“This is an example of the quality people we have working at the Alabaster Fire Department,” Golden said. “I’m extremely proud of him. He certainly went above and beyond to help this resident. That is a reflection of our whole department.”