Crime & Safety
Hall County Firefighters Injured, Ladder Recalled
The fire truck manufacturer has issued recalls on several aerials due to risks of a similar malfunction which sent three Hall County firefighters to the hospital on Tuesday.
The manufacturer of a fire truck which malfunctioned and injured three Hall County firefighters during a training session on Tuesday is asking fire departments nationwide to stop using the vehicles.
According to FOX 5 Atlanta and the Gainesville Times, Ohio-based Suthpen Corp. has issued a recall of its SPH 100, SP 110, SPI 112 and SAI 110 Aerial devices.
On Tuesday, a malfunction with Hall County's Suthpen aerial caused the ladder to suddenly drop by about 24 feet. Three firefighters inside the ladder's bucket were injured in the accident.
FOX 5 reports that this is the second incident involving Suthpen ladder trucks in the last eight weeks; in June, a similar incident occurred during a rapid descent in Pennsylvania which also injured three firefighters.
Hall County firefighters TJ Elliott, Will Griffin, and Stephen Jackson were taken to the hospital for injuries ranging from bumps and bruises to broken vertebrae. The firefighter with broken vertebrae was not mentioned by name but did have successful surgery on Wednesday.
He should be sent home in about a week and spend three months recovering, Fire Chief David Kimbrell said through a Facebook post.
People interested in donating to the families of the Hall County firefighters injured during Tuesday's training accident can contribute to the the Hall County Injured Firefighters Fund at Hall County Credit Union. Please call 770-534-4255 for more information on donating.
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