A fire apparatus mechanic behind the wheel of a Walker County ladder truck that crashed and burned recently has been fired.
His supervisor also lost his job after the incident, WTVC reported.
Chance Pendergrass told a reporter: "I wouldn't have let it go without test driving it. You know, it was just another day at work. For me, I didn't feel like I was doing anything out of the ordinary."
Just before reaching the tracks, the anti-lock braking system light activated. Moments later, the passenger side brake locked up and pulled the truck off the shoulder of the road, he explained.
Walker County officials said they are in the process of replacing the $650,000 rig. They also reported it was only covered by liability insurance.
Reporters obtained the information after filing a request under the state's open records law.
