TORONTO — A bond issue for two new fire trucks for the Toronto Fire Department received the support of a majority of the city’s voters on Tuesday.

The 10-year bond issue received 350 votes of support, or 62.84 percent, and 207 votes in opposition, or 37.16 percent.

All totals are unofficial until ballots have been canvassed.

City Fire Chief Bill Scheel said, “We’re very happy with the community’s support. We’ll make sure we are good stewards of the money.”

Scheel said by funding the new vehicles, the bond issue will help to maintain low insurance rates for homeowners, supporting the Toronto department’s rating by the Insurance Services Office of 3 on a scale in which 1 is highest.

The bond issue will raise $3.5 million for the purchase of a new engine and a new ladder truck and related equipment.

To repay bonds sold for the trucks, a tax will be collected for property owned in the city, with owners of homes appraised by the county assessor’s office at $125,000 paying $210.39 per year.

The bond issue was proposed after Scheel and others with the city’s fire department reported its current engine, a 1999 Luverne model; and ladder truck, a 2003 E-One model; were near the ends of their recommended lifespans.

City Fire Captain Ryan Boyd said earlier the engine underwent repairs for 28 safety-related failures last year and because Luverne is no longer in business, it’s been necessary to fabricate parts for it.

He added the National Fire Protection Association recommends ladder trucks that are 15 years old be used as backups and Toronto’s ladder truck has been in use for nearly 26 years.

Scheel said once the election’s results are certified on May 20, the department will order the new vehicles because it takes three years for them to be built once they are purchased.

He said he and others have been reviewing specifications and costs for the vehicles from multiple vendors.

Scheel said he wished to thank the ad hoc committee of volunteers who promoted the bond issue’s passage and Boyd for gathering information pertinent to its passage.

“He was a big part of it. Without him, it would not have passed,” he said.

Scheel confirmed the Toronto department is supported solely by the city’s general fund, while levies in years past were used to fund or partially fund the ladder truck and two pumper trucks.