Man's Honda Accord was Accidentally Used in Framingham, Massachusetts Jaws of Life Drill

A case of mistaken car identity has touched off a flurry of criticism, but firefighters say the facts show it was almost impossible to tell the difference between a Honda left by a resident and a Honda left by junkyard owners.

The firefighters mistakenly demolished a car parked behind their property off Irving Street Friday morning because they assumed it was sent for use in their rescue drills.

In practicing their response to an emergency in which they remove the top of a car with the Jaws of Life hydraulic cutting tool, they left a local man's black 1986 Honda Accord windowless and its roof and doors detached.

According to police, Antonio Rocha, 32, parked his car in the lot next to two other cars belonging to the Fire Department, then walked over to the Adesa car auction on Western Avenue. Rocha, who has a Framingham address, couldn't be reached for comment yesterday.

Police said when Rocha returned to his newly destroyed vehicle, he walked across the street to Tofani Coachworks Inc., an auto repair shop, and a worker notified police.

The property where the three cars were parked belongs to MCI-Framingham, the state prison for women, according to Deputy Fire Chief Thomas Barbieri. There are no markings on the property other than a street sign indicating the dirt road as Robert E. Byrne Drive.

"We usually leave cars there for training purposes because our quarters are so tight," Barbieri said.

He said he had received dozens of calls from residents angered by earlier reports that the car was a 1998 model, and thus seemingly hard to confuse for junk.

Police on Saturday told a News reporter the car was a 1998 Accord.

Rocha's vehicle, being 16 years old and having faded paint on its front hood, was easily mistaken as one from a junkyard, Barbieri said.

Rocha had parked next to another Honda Accord, which was red and had no year identification in view, and a white Toyota Corolla.

Rocha's car was the only one of the three that was operable before the Friday morning drill, and the only one firefighters used for practice. It was parked closest to the street.

All three cars were still on the small slice of state property yesterday afternoon. The red Honda had its rear bumper sitting in the front seat and its front window was smashed. The white Toyota had one of its front wheels badly smashed, making it impossible to drive.

Kelley's Blue Book lists on its Web site that a 1986 Accord sedan, if in fair condition, with 100,000 miles, could be valued at $1,300.