BAINBRIDGE, Ohio --
A Geauga County family is looking for answers from their local government after a tank tragedy one year ago.
A father was trapped inside a tank filled with toxic fumes and his two sons climbed in to save him. One of the sons didn't make it out alive.
At a Bainbridge town hall meeting Monday night, things got heated after Bruce Haas questioned the fire department's response and said a report about the rescue was hiding the truth, reported NewsChannel5 investigator Ron Regan.
The tragedy is filled with unanswered questions. Bruce Haas' son, Tim, was overcome by fumes after rescuing his dad, a rescue that lasted for more than four hours.
A NewsChannel5 investigation found rescue teams at the scene that failed to have specialized equipment, breathable air shut off and critical delays.
Bruce Haas told trustees Monday night that a fire department report is hiding the truth.
"The report is a lie. It's one lie after another. They started with a lie and they finished with a lie," Haas said.
Tim's brother was rescued at 8 p.m., two hours after the first call for help.
"He knew Tim was in a lot more trouble than him and he pleaded with the rescuers to take Tim first," Haas said.
NewsChannel5 asked Trustee Chairman Matt Lynch if he supported rescue decisions.
He responded, "I'm going to be careful. Because this is matter that apparently is going to be subject or is potential litigation so we want to certainly take every step possible to make sure our firefighters do everything that is appropriate under all circumstances."
After a year, the Haas family is still waiting for answers. They believe fire department command decisions that night led to delays and that trustees should be asking some tough questions so it doesn't happen again.
Copyright 2009 by NewsNet5. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
