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There are many questions surrounding Saturday's Deutsche Bank building fire that took the lives of two firefighters.
- Were firefighters using outdated information? WABC 7 says that a FDNY report, which is used by fire commanders for planning how they will attack the fire, indicated that the building had 38 floors (when it was really 26) and that the standpipe was working (it wasn't connected).
- Did the FDNY ignore post-9/11 advice? The NY Times reports that a McKinsey consultant had noted too many firefighters entered the World Trade Center on September 11 before realizing the scale of danger, and perhaps too many men (100 firefighters) had entered the Deutsche Bank building on Saturday.
- Did Deutsche Bank landlords/contractors fail to test standpipes? The Post reports that water pressure tests are supposed to take place every five years, but the last was in 1996.
- Did the Department of Buildings inspectors miss something? The Post also reports that inspectors were on site the day before the fire and that the standpipe was visually inspected.
- Did the FDNY fail to inspect the building? The Daily News says the Fire Department was supposed to conduct inspections every 15 days and that the inspections would have included looking over the standpipe system.
The Lower Manhattan Development Corporation, which owns the building, said that contractor Bovis Lend Lease, who is dismantling the building, may be dismissed after the investigation, if BLL is found to be at fault. A worker from BLL's subcontractor, John Galt Corporation, told the Polish Daily News, "They were also doing everything they could to demolish Deutsche Bank as fast as they could and skimping on safety measures," and he said that workers frequently smoked in the building, which was filled with chemicals.
And yesterday, visitation of firefighter Joseph Graffagnino began; a fellow firefighter told the Post, "From Day One to forever, Joey will always be remembered as always having a smile, always happy and the guy who brought the bagels." Visitation continues today and his funeral is tomorrow. There is visitation of firefighter Robert Beddia today and tomorrow, with funeral on Friday. Details here.
Photograph of the fire by Marianne O'Leary on Flickr
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The Polish Daily News - printed every Thursday.
I blame al Qaeda
Mr. Mayor, there's no reason for anybody to think in terms of criminal charges except for the fact that two people are dead.
And as for the part where too many firefighters entered the building - what happens when that "advice" is heeded and someone ends up dead because too few entered the building? While clearly it would have been better in this particular case considering that there were no usable stairwells all the way to the ground floor, how can that be blanket advice?
Each circumstance is differnt. Each fire is different. There should be standard basic OSHA rules in place but the final call should be from a seasoned & knowledgable fireman. Lives are in their hands. Maybe DOB & FDNY should do more frequent inspections on active sites. Just a thought.
the money exchangers has these two deaths on their hands.
The FDNY got jerked out of its default martyr pose with the missing fire inspections. Something stinks about this all-around -- watch the two deaths quickly get swept under the rug when the FD itself is at least partially to blame.
skimping on safety measures," and he said that workers frequently smoked in the building, which was filled with chemicals.
smoking with chemicals right near by. very smart.
Blame game? What kind of nonsense is that?
I don't think it's a game when two people are dead. I do think we ought to find out who is to blame, punish them and take measures to make sure it doesn't happen again.
Not a game.
Who is the mayor going to blame when his daughter does a superman chris reeves?
Like I said, this mayor is sooooo out of touch, it isn't even funny. To rich people, EVERYTHING is a game. Riding the subway, A BIG GAME to them.
NO! The city needs more and more money from us so that lessons can be learned from 9-11 and never will the be repeated.
Whats that?
Now, some are questioning Saturday’s response, noting that, at one point, more than 100 firefighters were inside the building even though the fire was out of control and wildly unpredictable — and that those men had to be called out. And they were inside even though, unlike the situation in the twin towers, no workers were trapped.
They want millions to learn these lessons but the city never learns to follow them.
Its a tragedy that those guys died.
But the FDNY needs to drop or discourage this ridiculous machismo image they love so much. It doesn't make sense that a 100 firefighters would rush to save a building that was under demolition. Was the proximity to ground zero and the ghosts there somehow clouding their judgment? did they (or their bosses) want to to be heroes so badly they'd risk lives?
Let the damn building burn rather than take risks with oxygen and chaos as they (appeared) to do.
I hope they find out what went wrong. Were they under the impression that workers were trapped, or were they just going ape at the chance to "fight the enemy" all over again?
It is a rush to go into a burning building...so I am told. 6 years with one of FDNY's bravest taught me many things about how it runs and what is behind that wall of red.
Anyone notice the name of the subcontractor Bovis hired- "John Galt Corporation" - any Ayn Rand fans here?
OK-- lets stop blaming the firemen. Sure the FDNY could have some blame here-- but lets place it where it belongs- at the top. Only the top political levels of the FDNY could have even begun to try to correct the problems. The city's own press release says there was numerous local, state and federal agencies involved, and goes on to say that the NYC building Dept. only had jurisdiction over certain floors-- which is ridiculous. Lets change the name of DOB to the NYC department of certain floors of buildings.
Anyway, the FDNY is lead by a commissioner (politician) and a Chief of Dept. (political appointee/ former fireman) these two individuals possess the auuthority to take action against any building that poses a fire danger. they may blame subordinates, but they shoud be held accountable, just as todays Post says Scopetta (FDNY Commish) must go, I say Him and his top Chief must go, and they must go soon. There is no way that two politicians should be leading the greatest Fire Dept. in the world. But how would I know- I am just a Fireman.