Hey,
The widow of an FDNY Firefighter killed in the Line of Duty at the Deutsche Bank fire (videos of the fire below) has reached a $10 million settlement with the city and contractor held responsible for safety lapses at the tower.
Nearly 5 years after the fire, Bovis Lend Lease has agreed to pay FF Joseph Graffagnino’s widow, Linda, and her two small kids $9 million, while the city has signed off on covering another $1 million. The settlement still must be approved by a Manhattan Supreme Court justice, which is expected at a hearing set for Monday.
As you know, on Aug. 18, 2007, Graffagnino and Firefighter Robert Beddia became trapped and lost their lives in the 14th floor stairwell of the former Deutsche Bank tower. The building had been damaged in the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorists murderous attacks on the adjacent World Trade Center.
There were multiple safety gaps by the contractor, Bovis, its subcontractor, John Galt Co., and the city and state agencies — including the fire and buildings departments — tasked with keeping the site safe. A standpipe that would have taken water to the upper floors had been cut, and the FDNY had failed to inspect the building regularly as required.
FF Beddia’s family settled two years ago for $6 million. Bovis reached a non-prosecution agreement with the Manhattan district attorney to avoid criminal charges, while the three job site supervisors who were charged with manslaughter were all acquitted.
The settlement ends all litigation with Bovis and the city, but the Graffagnino family still has a pending civil suit filed against John Galt Corp., the mob-tied demolition company that was found to have cut numerous corners on safety inside the tower during demolition. Though Bovis avoided criminal charges in the Deutsche Bank fire, last month the company was charged criminally with overbilling for fictional overtime on numerous city projects — including the Deutche Bank job.
As part of a plea deal, Brooklyn U.S. Attorney Loretta Lynch agreed to defer prosecution of those charges if Bovis agreed to pay a $56 million fine.
FIRE VIDEO 1: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i-6CWA3mZwE
FIRE VIDEO 2: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U3hsNoeQoFQ
FIRE VIDEO/MEDIA REPORT: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iCvK_gSeZDQ
READ MORE HERE:
RE: FDNY:
Rescue 3 Lt. Joey DiBernardo’s on the FDNY’s “Wall of Heroes”
VIRGINIA FIREFIGHTER IN ICU-APPARATUS CRASH WHILE RESPONDING:
A Volunteer Firefighter from Providence Forge (Charles City County, VA) was injured this morning when the truck he was driving overturned. He was the only person in the apparatus. The accident happened around 0500 on Old Union Road just off of Route 106. Fire Captain Mike Buchanna was air lifted to VCU Medical Center where he’s in the intensive care unit. The firefighters were responding to a structure fire in the 400 block of Old Union Road. More to follow.
NORTH CAROLINA MOURNS:
Well-known Fire Instructor Kenneth Scott “ScrapIron” Walters, age 58, of North Wilkesboro, suffered a heart attack and died May 19 at his home. He was a fire inspector with the Wilkes County Sheriff’s Department; former President of Wilkes County Fire Association, former fire marshal; served as a NC State Certified Fire Instructor; and was with the Broadway Fire Department. ScrapIron touched the lives of many fire service personnel throughout the state as an instructor and was known for his loud voice and infectious laughter. RIP.
“TWO HATTER” FIREFIGHTERS ISSUE CREATES A LAWSUIT – LOCAL GOVERNMENT VS FIREFIGHTERS:
In areas with career and volunteer Firefighters, the issue of “Two Hatters” is well known. A “Two Hatter” Firefighter generally when a career Firefighter also serves as a volunteer Firefighter elsewhere-when not on duty at their career positions. That’s about as simple as I can explain the issue-but it’s complicated and this time a local Government is filing a lawsuit against their own Firefighters.
HERE IS MUCH MORE:
HERE is some RELATED HISTORY from Curt V: http://firelawblog.com/tag/two-hatter/
SUMMERTIME:
(VIDEOS BELOW)
Amongst several conferences you should plsn on attending, be sure to check out:
NY STATE ASSOCIATION OF FIRE CHIEFS:
June 13-16 Tunring Stone Resort-Details HERE: http://www.nysfirechiefs.com/fire_2012_main.php
FIREHOUSE EXPO IN BALTIMORE:
July 17-21, Details HERE: http://firehouseexpo.com/
FIRE RESCUE INTERNATIONAL / IAFC
August 1-4 Denver, CO: http://s36.a2zinc.net/clients/iafc/fri12/Public/MainHall.aspx?ID=2716
THESE “summer is here” VIDEOS may seem foreign or even bizarre to those who have’nt lost hair or don’t who have gray hair-YET-but viewing strongly is encouraged by ALL ages:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1p-Qp-S7Gh0
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aGpk1w0qRUw (For those who have been ‘down the shore)
Take Care-BE CAREFUL. Enjoy Summer.
BillyG
The Secret List 5-20-12 / 1437 Hours
