Investigators told TV station WLOS that the small concrete bridge crumbled under a truck from the Reynolds Fire Department, which was freed from the creek with a crane Sunday afternoon.  

The Weaverville Tribune reports seven fire trucks from three different departments are trapped on the wrong side of “very steep” private driveway and it is unclear how long it will take to free them. Asheville and West Buncombe firefighters are cover shifts in those districts that lost use of their trucks, the Tribune reported.

“The contractors are performing a renovation to include a full roof replacement, replacing the HVAC, upgrading the ceiling tiles and lights throughout the station (and) increasing the size of the mechanical room, plus they are isolating the firefighter gear room to accommodate ventilation separate from the inside station area,” said Cherokee County Field Operations Chief Shane West.  

The gear isolation work is being done because of recent evidence about the harmful effects of post-fire toxic and often carcinogenic soot on fire gear and the firefighters themselves, officials said.

The new ladder on the truck will allow the fire department to reach fires that previously, they could not.  

"There's a lot of industrial buildings around here." said Marquez. "We've got Sweet Bran a mile down the road, they have high buildings. We've got feed lots, we've got dairies and a lot of times there's hay fires where you just park and throw water."

Marquez said it has been nearly 25 years since his team has seen an upgrade.