WAGENER, S.C. (WRDW/WAGT) - The city of Wagener now has a new fire chief.
In an unexpected move, Hendrik Swanepoel confirmed with News 12 that he accepted the position as fire chief on August 15. A week ago, Swanepoel initially announced that he declined the position.
Swanepoel has been serving as the interim fire chief since August 4 after being selected for the position during a town council meeting.
In a letter addressed to Mayor Mike Miller, Swanepoel expressed his gratitude for being nominated to be the city's fire chief.
"Over the past three years, I have committed a great deal of time and effort in an attempt to restore some level of fire department service to the community. In a recent swell of support, I was nominated to be the Wagener Fire Chief by the town council. This nomination is a great honor. I accept the Fire Chief position of the Wagener Fire Department. I'm excited to serve our community and lead our dedicated team," said Swanepoel.
Swanepoel stated that he'll be hiring a new management team and staff.