Boston Area News

BOSTON (WBZ) ― The company responsible for servicing Boston Fire Department's Ladder 26 -- the truck involved in Friday's crash that killed one firefighter -- said they did fix a worn air line during a September inspection, but they do not perform brake services on fire department vehicles.

Timothy O'Neill, President of Greenwood Emergency Vehicles released a statement on Sunday detailing the repairs made to the fire truck involved in deadly accident. "When you have something in house and there's an obvious need and it's a quick fix, you do it," he said in an interview Sunday. The replacement of the brake hose cost just over $200."

O'Neill said the shop completed a more extensive repair list than usual, because the fire commissioner has asked the shop to perform needed repairs and maintenance on vehicles in the fleet that have been long overdue.

That crash killed Lt. Kevin Kelley, a 52-year-old father and a 30-year veteran of the department. He and four other firefighters slammed into the Roxbury Tenants of Harvard building at 835 Huntington Ave. near Parker Hill Avenue around 2:30 p.m. "Our hearts and prayers go out to the family of Lieutenant Kevin M. Kelley and the entire Boston Fire Department," said O'Neill. "At Greenwood Emergency Vehicles, our top priority is to keep firefighters safe as they travel to and from emergencies, and we've taken that responsibility very seriously for 30 years."

 View: Street View Map Of Scene

BRAKE PROBLEMS? 

The Boston Globe reported Saturday that the fire truck had brake problems in October and had recently undergone repairs costing the city about $22,000. According to the report, which cites maintenance records, the brake problem was discovered during an Oct. 14 inspection.

O'Neil said in addition to an air line being replaced during an annual ladder inspection in September, Ladder 26 was in the shop two more times between the September inspection and Friday's accident. He said one visit was to repair a faulty electrical connection on the aerial ladder system in November and the other visit was to repair damage which occurred during an accident in December.

Department spokesman Steve MacDonald said Saturday that the department will convene a board of inquiry to look into the cause and come up with recommendations. He declined to comment on reports that truck's brakes may have failed in the accident.

Investigators will be looking into the possibility of mechanical failure.

WBZ has learned that the firefighter's union has cited maintenance issues within the Boston Fire Department in the past few years.

Read: Fire Truck Crash: What Went Wrong?

"We are working closely with the Boston Fire Department to assist them as this investigation continues," O'Neill said.

The Boston Fire Department said they will be inspecting all fire apparatus starting on Monday.

ANOTHER ACCIDENT

Only days after the deadly truck accident, the firefighter's union said there was another crash involving a spare ladder truck believed to have maintenance issues on Sunday.

Union President Ed Kelly said the accident was minor. The exact cause of the accident is unclear, but the crash damaged the front bumper of the truck and the front end of a parked white SUV.

STATE POLICE ASKED TO MONITOR TRUCK MAINTENANCE

During a news conference on Sunday, the firefighter's union said they will be asking Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick to assign the state police to look into truck maintenance procedures.

The union wants the state police truck inspection team to investigate, claiming that fire department trucks are being allowed to stay too long on the road without the proper maintenance being performed on the vehicles.

Kelley said the union believes Boston's fire trucks are on the road longer than the state average of 10 years. Boston trucks, according to Kelly, are on the road for 14 years. The truck involved in Friday's crash in 20-years old.

FUNERAL ARRAIGNMENTS

A wake for Lt. Kevin Kelley is scheduled for Tuesday from 4-8 p.m. at the Keohane Funeral Home at 785 Hancock St. in Quincy.

Kelley's funeral is scheduled for Wednesday at 10 a.m. at St. Ann Church at 757 Hancock Street.

(© 2009 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)

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