by ADAM LISBERG, KIRSTEN DANIS and JONATHAN LEMIRE
Three decorated FDNY officers were stripped of their commands yesterday during a growing probe into the fatal Deutsche Bank fire, a blaze marshals now say was started by cigarettes.
Mayor Bloomberg revealed the shakeup amid a series of pointed criticisms leveled at the FDNY for not properly inspecting the toxic tower overlooking Ground Zero in the months before the Aug. 18 fire that killed two of New York's Bravest.
"I'm not interested in finger-pointing, I simply want to fix what is broken," said Bloomberg, who declared the city had "failed" the dead firefighters. "Why were they going in blind for all intents and purposes?" he asked.
Fire Commissioner Nicholas Scoppetta reassigned the deputy chief and battalion chief in charge of the area that contains the former Deutsche Bank tower, as well as the captain at the nearest firehouse for failing to carry out mandatory inspections.
Deputy Chief Richard Fuerch of Division 1, Battalion Chief John McDonald of Battalion 1 and Capt. Peter Bosco of Engine 10 were transferred to headquarters for the duration of the probe, Scoppetta said.
"I'm disappointed in the Fire Department," said a choked-up Fuerch outside his home. "[And] I'm still distraught over the loss of two of my brothers in Engine 24/Ladder 5."
Overcome by smoke and out of air, Firefighters Joe Graffagnino and Robert Beddia died in the doomed tower when it turned out a broken standpipe - severed in the basement - could not deliver water to the blaze 14 stories up. Days later, demolition subcontractor John Galt Corp. was fired from the job for shoddy work.
Fuerch, McDonald and Bosco were disciplined for not ordering an inspection of the building since 2006 and for not checking on the standpipe. Fuerch was the recipient of three internal FDNY memos written by then-Battalion Chief William Siegel that urged the creation of a prefire plan for the building and recommended that Engine 10 survey the building on a weekly basis.
"The battalion chief's recommendations were not followed and we need to learn why," said Bloomberg, who added that several fire officers were in the building this year looking for human remains but did not report the hazardous conditions.
Yesterday's reassignments rankled the fire officers union, which blasted the FDNY for "rushing to judgment" before the conclusion of probes by Manhattan District Attorney Robert Morgenthau and state Attorney General Andrew Cuomo.
"The Uniformed Fire Officers Association is certain that these three officers did nothing wrong and will ultimately be found blameless," said union President John McDonnell.
Beddia's half brother labeled the discipline a "political move."
"It's premature to be pointing fingers [and] the last people I'm going to blame are the Fire Department," Ed Carman told the Daily News. "Bobby would've gone in there no matter what."
McDonnell said he was told by fire investigators that a safety manger working for Bovis Lend Lease, the general contractor that hired Galt, inspected the standpipe the day before the fatal blaze and saw nothing wrong.
Bloomberg said that the severed standpipe would be sent to the FBI for analysis.
Officials at Galt, Bovis and the Lower Manhattan Development Corp., the building's owner, refused to discuss the inspection yesterday.
Scoppetta said a discarded cigarette was to blame for the fire: "Smoking was prohibited ... . Nevertheless, smoking was engaged in throughout the building."
FDNY deputy chiefs were also ordered yesterday to inspect all buildings in their areas being built or demolished and to review the firefighting plans.
Scoppetta and the mayor said more heads may roll.
"We will hold everyone accountable, no matter where this investigation takes us," Scoppetta said.
With Elizabeth Hays, Michael Daly and John Lauinger
 |
