Baltimore City Fire Chief Niles Ford Resigns After Investigative Report

BALTIMORE — Niles Ford has stepped down from his role as Baltimore City Fire Chief, a position he held for nearly a decade. His resignation comes in response to a newly released 314-page report that scrutinizes the circumstances surrounding the tragic deaths of three firefighters in January.

The report investigates the line-of-duty fatalities of firefighters Paul Butrim, Kelsey Sadler, and Kenneth Lacayo, who perished when a vacant home they were battling collapsed. In the aftermath of the incident, Ford initiated a Board of Inquiry to examine the department's actions and response during the fire.

Findings from the Board were made public on Friday and were sharply critical of the firefighting operations on that day. The report highlighted significant confusion and disorganization among the teams as they attempted to manage the emergency. It noted that there was excessive radio traffic that hindered communication, with 185 incidents of message rejection due to overloaded frequencies.

Engine 14, which was the first to arrive at the scene, did not properly announce its arrival and failed to communicate effectively with the incident commander. The report revealed that two crew members, McMaster and Lacayo, had left their portable radios in the fire truck, making them unreachable during the crisis.

Less than ten minutes into the operation, the incident commander decided to evacuate the structure. However, a catastrophic collapse occurred just seconds later, resulting in confusion regarding the number of firefighters trapped inside.

McMaster was rescued within 14 minutes but sustained serious injuries, while Lacayo and Sadler were retrieved much later, taking 90 and 130 minutes respectively. Butrim's body was found over ten hours after the incident.

The report also discussed the ongoing issue of vacant buildings in Baltimore, noting that an estimated half of the city’s structures are unoccupied. In the Mount Clare area alone, there are 547 vacant buildings, which the panel asserts are often misclassified, leading to underreporting of fire incidents.

In light of these findings, the panel made several recommendations, including the need for a notification system regarding unsafe vacant buildings. A similar initiative was relaunched by the city in October, which involves posting reflective signs on unsafe structures.

Mayor Brandon Scott stated that his administration will implement an accountability program to ensure that the report's recommendations are executed effectively, aiming to safeguard both residents and firefighters.

Ford, who was appointed by former Mayor Stephanie Rawlings Blake in 2014, will be temporarily succeeded by Assistant Chiefs Charles Svehla, Chris Caisse, and Dante Stewart as the city searches for a permanent replacement.

In related developments, the ATF has referred its findings from the investigation to the Baltimore City State's Attorney's Office, although details regarding potential suspects remain scarce.

Reported by HarborBeat based on WMAR 2 News (source).