County hires forensic engineer to assist with fire training investigation

GAINESVILLE - Hall County has retained an independent forensic engineer to assist with an ongoing investigation into a training accident that seriously injured three firefighters on Tuesday.<br /> <br /> Hall County Administrator Randy Knighton said in a press release Thursday that the county would - as he put it - exhaust all resources to determine the root cause of this incident.<br /> <br /> "The health and safety of our employees is our upmost concern," said Knighton.<br /> <br /> The three firefighters - TJ Elliott, Will Griffin and Stephen Jackson - remain hospitalized, one at Northeast Georgia Medical Center, two at Grady Hospital in Atlanta.<br /> <br /> All three were hurt when the ladder on a truck partially collapsed, dropping the men an estimated 40 feet.<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> "We will exhaust all resources to determine the root cause of this incident," Hall County Administrator Knighton said. "The health and safety of our employees is our upmost concern."<br /> <br /> <br /> Knighton said more information will be forthcoming once the investigation is complete.