Atlanta temporarily closes 3 fire stations amid truck, firefighter shortages

Officials say a Georgia fire battalion chief was killed while battling a tractor-trailer blaze on a highway. (Pixabay)

The city of Atlanta has temporarily closed three of its more than 30 fire stations because of truck breakdowns and a shortage of firefighters.

Atlanta Fire Rescue Chief Roderick Smith told a City Council committee of the closures on Monday.

Smith told the committee that the department had 17 fire trucks out of service on Monday, including eight of 31 fire engines and nine of 15 ladder trucks. Many of the trucks are being repaired, but those repairs can take months.