Five years ago, a Columbus Fire Department ladder truck slammed into a bar because of faulty brakes. Now officials are still concerned that not enough is being done to ensure trucks are maintained correctly.
The Columbus Firefighters Union said it is worried about a brake problem recently detected by accident, NBC 4's Nancy Burton reported.
According to officials, 16-year-old Ladder truck No. 28 went in for preventative maintenance on Nov. 3.
The Greenlawn Avenue shop inspected nearly everything on the truck -- lights, brakes and fluids. And everything checked out OK, Burton reported.
Then, just three days later, another mechanic replacing the tires discovered the braking system wasn't functioning properly.
Union president Jack Reall said he doesn't understand how something like this could happen.
"How can it go in on Nov. 3 and have the brakes checked, and then on Nov. 6 have this failure?" he asked.
Columbus City Hall officials said the problem was fixed and that firefighter safety was never an issue, Burton reported.
The Union said any brake problem should be a concern, especially after the crash five years ago that injured several people and scrutinized fire truck safety and maintenance records.
"I think we need a more aggressive maintenance program," Reall said.
