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01-16-2004, 02:47 PM
JOHN GRANT EMEIGH
Courtesy of Tribune Chronicle
McKINLEY HEIGHTS -- Firefighters from Niles watched a Weathersfield house burn for about 20 minutes Thursday afternoon without attempting to put it out because the fire occurred outside the city limits.
Jason Radcliff said most of the items in his home at 2782 Robbins Ave. may have been saved if the Niles firefighters had acted immediately.
Instead, the Niles crew waited for the Weathersfield Fire Department to come and put out the blaze. Radcliff said Niles firefighters had three firetrucks at the scene and could have easily put out the fire.
''You don't just sit there and watch someone's livelihood burn,'' Radcliff said.
Capt. Randy Ciminero of the Niles Fire Department confirmed his firefighters mistakenly were dispatched to the scene because the fire originally was thought to have been in Niles.
Since the fire was not in the city's jurisdiction, Ciminero said his firefighters just waited to make sure no one was injured.
Radcliff, whose house was no more than 200 yards from Niles city limits, was angry the Niles firefighters didn't help.
''Don't call yourself a firefighter if you do something like that,'' he said.
The Niles firefighters said they would have done something if there was someone trapped in the house, but Ciminero said his department was not obligated to fight the fire.
Ciminero said he didn't want his firefighters tied up with this fire when they could have been called out to a fire in Niles.
''I'm paid by the city of Niles. I'm paid to protect the property of the people of Niles,'' he said.
Radcliff, who has rented the house for the past five years, said the fire was contained to one room when Niles firefighters arrived. However, the fire spread by the time firefighters from the Weathersfield station arrived.
It takes Weathersfield firefighters longer to respond to fires because it only has part-time firefighters who usually are not at the station when called.
The Niles department was dispatched to the fire because the 911 call was made from a cell phone, and all cell phone calls go to the Ohio State Highway Patrol in Southington. The patrol dispatcher mistakenly notified the Niles department about the fire because Robbins Avenue also runs through Niles.
Firefighters from Weathersfield's Station No. 40, who were eventually called about 1:10 p.m., put out the fire. An official from the Weathersfield department said the fire was contained to a room and part of the attic.
The cause of the fire was undetermined, the Fire Department reported.
One Weathersfield firefighter was taken to a local hospital after suffering breathing problems and was treated and released that day.
Weathersfield Fire Chief Randall Pugh was not available for comment.
Radcliff said he and his fiancee and their three children will have to stay in a hotel.
Courtesy of Tribune Chronicle
McKINLEY HEIGHTS -- Firefighters from Niles watched a Weathersfield house burn for about 20 minutes Thursday afternoon without attempting to put it out because the fire occurred outside the city limits.
Jason Radcliff said most of the items in his home at 2782 Robbins Ave. may have been saved if the Niles firefighters had acted immediately.
Instead, the Niles crew waited for the Weathersfield Fire Department to come and put out the blaze. Radcliff said Niles firefighters had three firetrucks at the scene and could have easily put out the fire.
''You don't just sit there and watch someone's livelihood burn,'' Radcliff said.
Capt. Randy Ciminero of the Niles Fire Department confirmed his firefighters mistakenly were dispatched to the scene because the fire originally was thought to have been in Niles.
Since the fire was not in the city's jurisdiction, Ciminero said his firefighters just waited to make sure no one was injured.
Radcliff, whose house was no more than 200 yards from Niles city limits, was angry the Niles firefighters didn't help.
''Don't call yourself a firefighter if you do something like that,'' he said.
The Niles firefighters said they would have done something if there was someone trapped in the house, but Ciminero said his department was not obligated to fight the fire.
Ciminero said he didn't want his firefighters tied up with this fire when they could have been called out to a fire in Niles.
''I'm paid by the city of Niles. I'm paid to protect the property of the people of Niles,'' he said.
Radcliff, who has rented the house for the past five years, said the fire was contained to one room when Niles firefighters arrived. However, the fire spread by the time firefighters from the Weathersfield station arrived.
It takes Weathersfield firefighters longer to respond to fires because it only has part-time firefighters who usually are not at the station when called.
The Niles department was dispatched to the fire because the 911 call was made from a cell phone, and all cell phone calls go to the Ohio State Highway Patrol in Southington. The patrol dispatcher mistakenly notified the Niles department about the fire because Robbins Avenue also runs through Niles.
Firefighters from Weathersfield's Station No. 40, who were eventually called about 1:10 p.m., put out the fire. An official from the Weathersfield department said the fire was contained to a room and part of the attic.
The cause of the fire was undetermined, the Fire Department reported.
One Weathersfield firefighter was taken to a local hospital after suffering breathing problems and was treated and released that day.
Weathersfield Fire Chief Randall Pugh was not available for comment.
Radcliff said he and his fiancee and their three children will have to stay in a hotel.