For ads-free news, click here.
From the Daily Mail: Staggering images appear to show around 100 fire trucks sitting idly in a Los Angeles repair lot as fires ravage the city.
The pictures, captured by a local activist, shows scores of essential firefighting vehicles sitting in the LA Fire Department’s Bureau Of Supply and Maintenance lot on North Avenue 19 in the city’s northeast.
LA fire chief Kristin Crowley said in an interview with CNN: ‘We have over 100 fire apparatus out of service. Having these apparatus, and the proper amount of mechanics would have helped.’
The LAFD has a total of 183 trucks, meaning that more than half of the city’s fire trucks are out of commission as the fires continue to burn through dense urban spaces, killing at least 24, displacing more than 200,000 and destroying over 12,000 buildings.
It comes just three months after the LAFD made a request to the city’s council to replace the entire fleet at the cost of $96.5million.
In its request, the LAFD had also asked for over $1.9 million to restore 16 maintenance positions that had been ‘deleted’ in last year’s budget, and also warned, “Many vehicles have surpasses their expected service life, leading to increased maintenance costs, reduces parts availability and potential downtime.”
Positions the fire department said they needed funds to fill included one truck operator, one tire repairer, four heavy duty equipment mechanics, nine mechanical helpers, one carpenter, one general automotive supervisor, two administrative clerks and one storekeeper.
JUST IN: LA Fire Chief Kristin Crowley doubles down on throwing Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass under the bus.
Crowley said Bass’ leadership did “negatively impact” their efforts to stop the fire.
“Let me be clear. The $17M budget cut and elimination of our civilian positions like… pic.twitter.com/knY8F5ES4b
— Collin Rugg (@CollinRugg) January 10, 2025
Photos and video footage has been posted on social media, showing massive numbers of fire trucks sitting idle in a parking lot, waiting for repairs.
There are no words to describe this
Journalist goes to Los Angeles Fire Department repair yard and was able to record just how many vehicles are waiting to be repaired
ENDLESS amounts of vehicles that could be used to fight the Pacific Palisades fires. Gavin Newsom must RESIGN… pic.twitter.com/DrdGXzi174
— Wall Street Apes (@WallStreetApes) January 14, 2025
outbreak of wildfires plaguing Los Angeles, people asking why the city/county does not seem to have the resources to fight them. Turns out, HUNDREDS of fire engines, Hook & Ladder Trucks, Ambulances, emergency vehicles, are sitting — unrepaired — in a big parking lot. pic.twitter.com/6SGJ3fHCDl
— David Ofosu-Appiah 🇬🇧🏴🇬🇭 (@nanakumi1976) January 15, 2025
Staggering image of 100 essential fire trucks idling in a parking lot waiting for repair while Los Angeles apocalyptic fires ravage city killing 24 https://t.co/ztIjN7ew2z pic.twitter.com/TL2fm1mVO2
— Daily Mail Online (@MailOnline) January 14, 2025
Follow us on X (Formerly Twitter.)
The DML News App: www.X.com/DMLNewsApp
The Dennis Michael Lynch Podcast archive is available below, with the most recent on top. Never miss an episode. Subscribe to the show by downloading The DML News App or go to Apple Podcasts.