Ohio City to Probe Fire Department Actions at House Fire

NILES - The city is conducting an internal investigation to see if its Fire Department acted appropriately when it didn't fight a structure fire last week because it was just outside the city limits.

Niles firefighters watched Thursday from their trucks for several minutes as a home at 2782 Robbins Ave., burned until firefighters from Weathersfield arrived and put out the flames.

Tom Telego, the emergency management coordinator for Niles, said a team of the city's top officials started investigating the incident Friday.

Telego said he couldn't comment on the nature of the investigation, but he hopes to complete it by the end of this week.

''There's nothing we're trying to hide. We just want to investigate this properly,'' he said.

The team of investigators includes Mayor Ralph Infante, Fire Chief Charles Semple, Safety Director Maurice Guarino and Telego.

The fire chief was out-of-town the day of the fire. Semple wasn't available for comment Monday.

City firefighters were accidentally dispatched to the fire because it originally was thought to have been in Niles. However, the Robbins Avenue fire was actually in the McKinley Heights area, which is part of Weathersfield Township. After confirming there was no one in the home, and there was no threat to the public, the Niles firefighters contacted Weathersfield and waited for them to arrive.

Jason Radcliff, who lives in the Robbins Avenue home, was furious at the Niles firefighters for not attempting to put out the fire. He said he was begging them to do something as he waited several minutes for the Weathersfield firefighters to arrive. He said there were three fire trucks from Niles at the scene.

Radcliff said Monday he doesn't blame the individual firefighters from Niles who were at the scene, because they were just following the city's policy

''I have a lot of respect for firefighters; they have a dangerous job,'' he said.

Radcliff said the fire damaged many items in his house. If Niles firefighters had acted immediately, Radcliff said, he believes they could have saved some of his property.

Capt. Randy Ciminero, who was the ranking officer for Niles at the time of the fire, said Thursday the city didn't have a mutual aid agreement with Weathersfield. Since no one was in danger, Ciminero said the firefighters weren't obligated to fight the fire.

Radcliff is also upset he hasn't received an apology from the Niles Fire Department.

''I can't even describe how I feel. It's sick,'' he said.

The local chapter of the American Red Cross put Radcliff and his fiancee and their three children in a hotel after the fire. He said the Red Cross was very helpful during this difficult time. Radcliff's family and friends are also helping them find a new place, he said.

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