Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott announced Friday afternoon that he has accepted the resignation of Fire Chief Niles Ford, effective immediately.Ford’s resignation comes in response to a report released Friday into a January fire in which three city firefighters died in the line of duty and a fourth was injured.”There are no words or actions that will fill the void or ease the pain felt by the family, loved ones and colleagues of these three heroes who made the ultimate sacrifice while serving the people of Baltimore,” Scott said in a statement.In late January, Lt. Paul Butrim, firefighter/paramedic Kelsey Sadler and EMT/firefighter Kenny Lacayo died after a vacant three-story rowhome partially collapsed during a fire on Stricker Street.In April, the fire was ruled a homicide. At that time, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives classified the fire as “incendiary.” In October, the ATF completed its investigation into the fire.The mayor said the report compiled by the fire department’s internal Board of Inquiry reached findings and made recommendations that will be implemented in an effort to prevent another tragedy. The mayor said an accountability program will be established to ensure the recommendations are properly implemented. The report states: “The challenges that BCFD members faced this day were extreme and never experienced in over 65 years of departmental history.”The report went into detail over the vacant buildings in the city, saying: “The city of Baltimore suffers from an arson/incendiary fire problem … Vacant buildings burn in the city of Baltimore at twice the national average, with many of the buildings being host to repeated fires.”The report states there was no program or policy in which firefighters would be notified about vacant and unsafe homes.”The pilot program for Unsafe Vacant Buildings, established in 2010 by Departmental Order 102-10, was not continuously supported and never fully implemented throughout the department. The absence of critical building information to responding units and the lack of a visual que on the building was detrimental to the outcome of this fire,” the report states.Some of the many recommendations include creating work groups to evaluate resources and provide recommendations; develop and train members on a risk management plan; implement a program/policy to visually inspect and keep records of unsafe, unstable and hazardous structures; consider developing a Human Performance Training Program to help members with mental conditioning skills; and other priorities to improve incident command response and communications.| LINK: Read the reportThe mayor said he accepted Ford’s resignation “in order to position BCFD for the necessary changes that are upon us.”The mayor said a group of BCFD commanders will be appointed to serve as acting fire chief on an interim basis. Assistant Chief Charles Svehla, Assistant Chief Chris Caisse and Assistant Chief Dante Stewart will each have the opportunity to serve as acting fire chief for a designated time period while the city searched for a permanent replacement.This report will be updated.Video below: Fatal fire that killed 3 firefighters ruled a homicide (April 2022)
Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott announced Friday afternoon that he has accepted the resignation of Fire Chief Niles Ford, effective immediately.
Ford’s resignation comes in response to a report released Friday into a January fire in which three city firefighters died in the line of duty and a fourth was injured.
“There are no words or actions that will fill the void or ease the pain felt by the family, loved ones and colleagues of these three heroes who made the ultimate sacrifice while serving the people of Baltimore,” Scott said in a statement.
In late January, Lt. Paul Butrim, firefighter/paramedic Kelsey Sadler and EMT/firefighter Kenny Lacayo died after a vacant three-story rowhome partially collapsed during a fire on Stricker Street.
In April, the fire was ruled a homicide. At that time, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives classified the fire as “incendiary.” In October, the ATF completed its investigation into the fire.
The mayor said the report compiled by the fire department’s internal Board of Inquiry reached findings and made recommendations that will be implemented in an effort to prevent another tragedy. The mayor said an accountability program will be established to ensure the recommendations are properly implemented.
The report states: “The challenges that BCFD members faced this day were extreme and never experienced in over 65 years of departmental history.”
The report went into detail over the vacant buildings in the city, saying: “The city of Baltimore suffers from an arson/incendiary fire problem … Vacant buildings burn in the city of Baltimore at twice the national average, with many of the buildings being host to repeated fires.”
The report states there was no program or policy in which firefighters would be notified about vacant and unsafe homes.
“The pilot program for Unsafe Vacant Buildings, established in 2010 by Departmental Order 102-10, was not continuously supported and never fully implemented throughout the department. The absence of critical building information to responding units and the lack of a visual que on the building was detrimental to the outcome of this fire,” the report states.
Some of the many recommendations include creating work groups to evaluate resources and provide recommendations; develop and train members on a risk management plan; implement a program/policy to visually inspect and keep records of unsafe, unstable and hazardous structures; consider developing a Human Performance Training Program to help members with mental conditioning skills; and other priorities to improve incident command response and communications.
| LINK: Read the report
The mayor said he accepted Ford’s resignation “in order to position BCFD for the necessary changes that are upon us.”
The mayor said a group of BCFD commanders will be appointed to serve as acting fire chief on an interim basis. Assistant Chief Charles Svehla, Assistant Chief Chris Caisse and Assistant Chief Dante Stewart will each have the opportunity to serve as acting fire chief for a designated time period while the city searched for a permanent replacement.
This report will be updated.
Video below: Fatal fire that killed 3 firefighters ruled a homicide (April 2022)
