Firefighters in Tennessee feel the burn after dealing with the wrong auto shop. They dropped off a fire truck for repairs and lost thousands. After waiting months, the shop closed and refused to refund the money, leaving the department with a broken rig. 

Tennessee firefighters lose thousands due to fraudulent fire truck repair 

The Gallatin Volunteer Fire Department is struggling with the aftermath of auto shop fraud. The Tennessee firefighters mentioned hearing strange noises from under the hood of one of their trucks. 

So, they dropped the fire truck off at Fritz Auto Repair, a location known for providing quality work. They thought it could be the belt tensioner because the noise only occurred when it would shake. 

They paid $7,000 upfront to have the truck repaired and didn’t hear anything for months. When they decided to pick up the rescue truck, it was worse than before. According to Fox 17, part of the engine was missing. It wasn’t properly put together. 

Then the shop told Lieutenant Johnson Fitzler that it was filing for bankruptcy and couldn’t refund their money. The owner, Jim Fritz, has reportedly been on medical leave for two years and hasn’t been operating the business. 

In April, the shop owner’s daughter, Jessica Michelle Barnhill, was managing the business. She was arrested in Sumner County on charges of fraud and identity theft. Fritz claims he plans to refund the money to the firefighters. 

The volunteer fire department operates on $24,000 a year from the county. This financial blow is preventing them from being able to serve the community. Every single dollar counts.