What we got here is a Frickin disgrace !

[Weruj1]

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.

[ff7134]

Josh you beat me o posting this.......I could not believe that anyone who calls themselves a firefighter would do anything like that. It totally blows my mind. I think that their is some possible bad feelings between the departments...thats my guess.

We had a report of heavy smoke in the area at the beginning of summer..so we responded 3 Engines and we located a fully involved structure in a neighboring township. We contacted 911 told them to tone them out and that we would be initating attack. You just don't let someones house burn down because it's not in your area. Especially if you are on scene. I love this quote: "The Niles firefighters said they would have done something if there was someone trapped in the house," WTF???????


I jjust can't say anymore till I calm down.

[arsonguy]

I cant believe what I just read. It is the opinion of this fire officer that the Chief and the officers on the scene should have criminal charges put up against them. Any real firefighter has a duty to help people not because it says so on a piece of paper but becuase its in there heart. The Niles Fire Department should hang there heads in shame they have discraced the fire service and all its members. They have also pushed the fire service back a hundred years. Again I feel the Chief and the officers that were on the fire scene should turn in there badges and have not only civil but criminal charge put against them.

[ArmyMedic]

wow, i have family in warren, and know how it is up there. once word gets out, i hope the city of niles doesnt ask for a levy anytime soon.

[safeharbor]

appears in mid July 2007 a home on Warren ave. in Niles, Ohio was lost, from my reports a small fire from a candle was extinguished quickly with minimal damage, 5 hours later the whole house burned, a female resident of the home was seriously injured in attempting to jump from the roof to avoid the flames, reports are unclear if the original fire re-ignited, but my guess is that it did, firefigters should have cleared all debris from the home before leaving the scene, this apparentley was not the case, and 5 people are homeless and lost everything, including 3 family pets, what a shame.The fire is still under investigation or is undetermined when this report was submitted to me, Was there a mistake here, how common are fires reignited without any warning, again thank god the tenants had smoke detectors, or who knows what would have happened? Any other stories our comments? Niles FD?

[MichaelD77]

Post Deleted

[GFD748]

Can you say Law suite? I can't even think of watching someones house burn.

[DeputyMarshal]

I suspect that there's a lot more to this story than we're getting in the article. It seems likely there is a history of jurisdictional problems here. It wouldn't be the first time that politics kept a FD from fighting a fire that wasn't "theirs" nor is it likely to be the last.

As for people talking about law suits, I seriously doubt that the Niles FD had any legal duty to act outside of its jurisdiction. It's entirely possible that their actions -- however "disgraceful" they may seem -- were prudent at the time.

[dday05]

Originally Posted by safeharbor

appears in mid July 2007 a home on Warren ave. in Niles, Ohio was lost, from my reports a small fire from a candle was extinguished quickly with minimal damage, 5 hours later the whole house burned, a female resident of the home was seriously injured in attempting to jump from the roof to avoid the flames, reports are unclear if the original fire re-ignited, but my guess is that it did, firefigters should have cleared all debris from the home before leaving the scene, this apparentley was not the case, and 5 people are homeless and lost everything, including 3 family pets, what a shame.The fire is still under investigation or is undetermined when this report was submitted to me, Was there a mistake here, how common are fires reignited without any warning, again thank god the tenants had smoke detectors, or who knows what would have happened? Any other stories our comments? Niles FD?

If you're so interested in this story why don't you contact the Niles FD
330-544-9022. According to what you write the fire is under investigation. Wait and see what becomes of the investigation!

[scfire86]

I can absolutely believe the Niles FD should let the house burn. They ensured there was no life safety issues.

The homeowners beef should be with the city fathers of Weathersfield who insist on providing substandard fire protection. Niles takes care of its citizens by paying for fire reliable fire protection. Would the homeowner or the city of Weathersfield reimbursed the cost of putting out that fire? I doubt it. There are other issue such as the potential cost of injuries etc.

I empathize with Radcliffe losing his belongings, but he should have realized the risk he was assuming when he chose to live in that locale. You know, personal responsibility and all that.

I think it is more disgraceful this individual blames someone else.

[Bones42]

Ok, first 4 posts, about the Niles FD "watching" a house burn were in 2004.

Now someone's first post is about a fire 3 years later where the poster makes up his/her own conclusions as to what caused the fire.

Yup, I'm smelling something bad.

[mcaldwell]

Originally Posted by Bones42

Ok, first 4 posts, about the Niles FD "watching" a house burn were in 2004.

Now someone's first post is about a fire 3 years later where the poster makes up his/her own conclusions as to what caused the fire.

Yup, I'm smelling something bad.

Good Eye Bones,

I missed the date completely the first time I read this.

[GFD748]

Oops I missed it to. I still think that it sux, we have a duty to protect life and property not sit and watch someone house burn.

[scfire86]

Originally Posted by GFD748

Oops I missed it to. I still think that it sux, we have a duty to protect life and property not sit and watch someone house burn.

I think it sux as well. But as I asked, why has the leadership of Weathersfield allowed their city to be unprotected? Is it because they have always believed they would be subsidized by Niles?

That is the question everyone should be asking. Instead they are throwing out this high and mighty ideal of duty. That's easy to do when someone else is paying the bills.