South Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service is investigating the safety of its fire engines after they were condemned as being unsafe.
The Fire Brigades Union (FBU) said the service’s Combined Aerial Rescue Pumps (CARPs) had suffered from mechanical breakdowns and fires.
John Gilliver, the FBU secretary for South Yorkshire told the BBC: “They’re constantly being repaired and a fire on an appliance had to be extinguished by crews. They’re appalling, they’re an absolute joke.”
He called for them to be taken off the road until it is known exactly what is wrong with the appliances.
CARPs are designed to both fight fires and act as an aerial rescue platform. The fire service bought four trucks in 2006 for £2million, but they required modification because they were too heavy to use legally on roads.
South Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service is aware of the problems and is investigating three incidents involving the appliances.
It said: “Our investigations into the issues reported since April show that some have been mechanical faults, and some were due to operator error. Like the FBU, we are concerned about these issues and are working tirelessly to address them to keep the CARPs available as often as possible.
“We are determined to rectify these issues to ensure their ongoing availability to keep the public safe.”
