The City of Watertown took the first steps to file a lawsuit in the death of firefighter recruit Peyton Morse, who died earlier this year during a training evolution at the New York State Fire Academy.
Seeking monetary expenses for costs incurred by the city, the lawsuit issues a Notice of Intention to File a Claim, City Attorney Robert J. Slye told NNY360.com. The suit has to be filed within 90 days and will be filed at the State Court of Claims.
The city is seeking close to $178,000 for costs including medical bills, transportation and the funeral.
The Morse family is expected to file a separate lawsuit and filed their Notice of Intention to File a Claim.
Earlier this month, the state's Public Employee Safety and Health Bureau determined that actions by instructors at the state fire academy were not responsible for Morse's death after Morse suffered a medical emergency during training in March at the Montour Falls facility.
Morse died a week later at a Pennsylvania hospital.
Without answers in Morse's death, Slye said “It will make us work even harder" for the city's legal action.
