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By Steve Rubenstein
The San Francisco Chronicle

SAN FRANCISCO — Bail was set at $1 million Wednesday for the San Francisco planning director's companion, who is accused of setting fire to the historic Nob Hill residence of the fire chief where the couple were living temporarily.

Lance Farber, 47, pleaded not guilty to felony arson and vandalism in a brief appearance at the Hall of Justice, shortly before Superior Court Judge John Conway set bail.

 
"I am concerned that this is a public safety issue," the judge said.

Farber was ordered to return to court Friday after being evaluated for migraine headaches. His lawyer said the headaches have worsened since Farber was arrested Friday night.

Farber is a chiropractor who moved to San Francisco from Seattle in January with incoming Planning Director John Rahaim. He was presented in court with a stay-away order forbidding contact with Rahaim.

Farber was accused of violating an earlier stay-away order when he tried to contact Rahaim from jail by telephone Friday night after his arrest, police said. The first order had been issued that evening.

Farber's lawyer, Randall Knox, said it was an "accurate assessment" that the dispute was a lovers' quarrel. Farber set fire to the couple's mattress, then called Rahaim to tell him that he had done so before leaving the residence at 870 Bush St., where the men were living while they were looking for a permanent home, Knox said.

Knox said $1 million bail was excessive because Farber's is "not a typical arson case."

"He has no criminal record at all," Knox said. "The evidence will show that the only thing burned was a mattress that belonged to Lance and his partner."

Farber has been "going through a difficult time" since the move from Seattle, having left behind his friends and his job, Knox said.

Thirty firefighters and several high-ranking city officials rushed to the three-story home after the fire broke out around 8:40 p.m. Friday. Police found the burning bed, overturned furniture and crushed tomatoes smeared on the floors and walls.

Damage to carpets and walls was estimated at $30,000. Some city officials said they hoped Rahaim would pay for the damage. The planning director did not return calls Wednesday seeking comment.

Farber was arrested in San Mateo County on suspicion of driving under the influence about an hour after the fire broke out.

The Dennis T. Sullivan Memorial Fire Chief's Home, which honors a fire chief engineer killed in the 1906 earthquake and fire, was built in 1923 and is an official San Francisco landmark. The current chief, Joanne Hayes-White, is believed to be the first fire chief not to live in the house.

The home has occasionally been used during Mayor Gavin Newsom's administration as temporary housing for newly arrived city officials. His office said Monday that practice would end.

Copyright 2008 San Francisco Chronicle
All Rights Reserved

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By Dave Carpenter
The Associated Press

WAUKEGAN, Ill. — An explosion possibly caused by a gas leak ripped through a suburban Chicago shopping plaza Thursday, injuring at least nine people and rattling nearby buildings, fire officials said.

Eight people were taken to a hospital, none with life-threatening injuries, and another was treated at the scene, Deputy Fire Chief Dan Young said. A fire that erupted had been extinguished, and crews were nearly certain the rubble had been cleared by mid-afternoon but were seeking one person who had been reported missing, he said.

The blast struck around lunchtime in the business district about 40 miles north of Chicago, shattering windows and collapsing the roof of the plaza, which housed a cell phone shop, a tuxedo store and a hair salon, among other businesses.

Authorities believe the cause was a gas explosion, Young said.

Two of the eight people taken to the hospital were in serious condition, Young said. The injuries included smoke inhalation, bumps and bruises, he said.

 
Candi Rixie said she was taking orders at Leno's Submarine Shop a block away from the shopping plaza when the blast hit.

"We felt like an earthquake, like somebody had hit the building with a car," she said.

Rixie said she ran out of the restaurant to see what had happened. She and others said they first thought they saw bodies in the street, but quickly realized it was clothes and mannequins that had been on display in a store and blown outside by the blast.

Gary Podyma was taking inventory at the Living Foods Pantry health food store across the street from the shopping building when he heard a loud explosion and his windows blew out.

Then he saw a big, brown cloud and debris coming toward him.

"To see a building coming toward you like that _ words can't describe the feeling you get," he said. "It was frightening, it was ominous."

He said he also smelled a strong odor of gas immediately after the blast.

"It's amazing that anybody survived," he said.

A spokeswoman for People's Gas said a crew was on the scene but hasn't been able to get close enough to say what might have caused the explosion.

David Motley, a spokesman for the city of Waukegan, said the brick building was decades-old.

"The roof blew up and off and fell back down," he said.

George Sanchez, general manager of Chicago-based Mena Travel agency, said his company's Waukegan branch was adjacent to the explosion and employees inside felt the vibrations. But the store wasn't damaged by the blast.

"Our folks are OK. They were asked to vacate the premises for safety reasons," he said.

Waukegan has a population of about 88,000.

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By Derek Watson
The Express

GRANGEMOUTH, Scotland —Taxpayers  face a GBP 1,600 bill after firefighters were repeatedly called out to lift an obese man too heavy to move himself.

A 10-man crew in two fire engines went three times inside a week to 41-stone Robert Marsden's councilowned home.

 
On one occasion they were called to move him from one side of his bed to the other.

Called a fourth time, they were stood down and told to return to base before reaching unemployed Mr Marsden's ground floor flat in Grangemouth, Stirlingshire.

Central Scotland Fire and Rescue Service refused to put a cost on the call-outs but insiders estimated them at GBP 400 a time.

Union leaders last night called for an urgent review of procedures for helping obese members of the public as obesity levels soar. Almost two-thirds of Scottish adults are overweight with more than one in five classified as obese, putting an increasing strain on the NHS and other resources.

FBU branch secretary Gordon McQuade said: "Firefighters will always help in medical emergencies.

"But this tied up two fire engines and 10 firefighters to move someone two feet across a bed." Mr Marsden, 40, has daily visits from council carers who help him get up, wash and dress.

He spends hours each day in bed, with sandwiches made for him by his carers, watching videos.

He hit back at suggestions he was a drain on resources, saying: "I don't know what the fuss is about.

"The firemen came here, did their job and once they were finished they went to their next one. Sometimes I slide to the floor in my living room, and it's hard to get back up.

"I try not to make a habit of ringing for help, but sometimes there is nothing I can do. I'm grateful to the fire service.

"There are people up and down the country just like me. I can't explain how I became like this." A spokesman for Central Scotland Fire and Rescue Service said: "We are in negotiations with the Scottish Ambulance Service and other care agencies to establish protocols, procedures and the provision of equipment when dealing with such incidents."

Dr Gareth Davies, NHS Forth Valley medical director, said: "The NHS is dealing these days with an increasing number of very obese people who represent physical challenges when they require treatment."

Copyright 2008 EXPRESS NEWSPAPERS
All Rights Reserved

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By Alex Ginsberg
The New York Post

NEW YORK — An FDNY emergency medical technician turned the Hippocratic Oath on its ear, slugging a restrained patient in the face during a ride to Kings County Hospital, a $2 million suit alleges. 

 
Dennis Mathis, 25, was strapped onto a stretcher last Dec. 1 when he incurred the wrath of an EMT by drooling on him, according to the suit.

"My son was face down and the EMS worker was trying to put an oxygen mask on him, and I heard him yelling and screaming that he was choking," said Mathis' distraught mother, Stephanie Bethean.

The suit identifies Tyler Argerosios as the EMT.

An FDNY spokesman said the department has no record of such an employee, but does have a Tyler Argeroplos.

Attempts to reach Argeroplos were unsuccessful.

An unidentified police officer inside the ambulance witnessed the attack but did nothing, the suit says. Bethean claims her son suffered a broken jaw.

The city Law Department declined to comment in detail, since it had not yet seen the suit.

Copyright 2008 N.Y.P. Holdings, Inc.
All Rights Reserved

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By Jacqueline Seibel
The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

BROOKFIELD, Wis. — While they were supposed to be training, three firefighters intentionally doused personal vehicles belonging to town police officers with potentially damaging hydrant water, setting off a feud with the Police Department and a six-month internal investigation, according to investigative records released Monday.

Fire Chief Andrew Smerz's investigation into the July 23 incident led to a finding that the firefighters falsified training records. Two firefighters received written warnings, and a third firefighter is taking his case before the Police and Fire Commission. Two police officers received verbal warnings for their reaction to the incident, the investigation records say.

 
The Journal Sentinel filed a request for information regarding the incident under state open records law.

According to the investigation, police Sgt. Tony Bertram found his vehicle wet as a window on his truck had been open when it was sprayed with water, damaging a stroller inside. He confronted the firefighters and then told them he was calling the fire chief. Smerz told his firefighters to wash the sprayed cars.

The town paid Bertram $132.62 for the loss of the stroller.

A week after the verbal altercation, Fire Lt. Brian Loomis and firefighter Jim Gaulke filed a complaint against Bertram and police Capt. Tim Imler, stating that the police officers abused their authority and violated several town policies.

In his complaint, Gaulke said he offered to wash Bertram's vehicle, but Bertram wouldn't accept, telling Gaulke: "I am tired of your adolescent 12-year-old behavior. I don't trust you as far as I can spit."

Gaulke said Bertram accused the firefighters of intentionally spraying two vehicles belonging to police officers, saying no other vehicles around those were wet, including some belonging to firefighters.

Bertram also accused the firefighters of purposely spraying police squads on July 4. Gaulke, a 15-year Fire Department veteran, said Bertram accused him of being a troublemaker, liar and untrustworthy and the reason that former Fire Chief Alex Felde lost his position.

Felde, who was part time, left when the town changed the position to full time. Felde has filed a federal lawsuit against the town.

Loomis, an 11-year Fire Department veteran, said he saw that the vehicles were getting wet during their training on the west side of the Town Hall parking lot and told firefighter David Balzer, a 13-year veteran, to redirect the spray.

Imler, the police captain, confronted the firefighters and questioned why he would have to devote a busy detective to the situation and accused the firefighters of having little to do, Loomis said in his statement.

Police Chief Chris Perket investigated the actions of his officers only, stating in a Nov. 28 letter to Town Administrator Richard Czopp that the actions of Bertram and Imler were "uncharacteristic."

Each of them received a verbal warning.

Also in the letter, Perket tells Czopp that he doesn't believe that the spraying of the vehicles was accidental or unintentional. The water that comes from hydrants is hard and can cause damage, and firefighters should know that, Perket says.

Perket also says he is concerned about the way the complaints were made by the firefighters, which he said seemed to bypass protocol.

"It appears the complaints were filed with a greater purpose designed to publicly humiliate my department and members of my command staff."

Training investigated

During his internal investigation, Smerz learned that the three firefighters -- Loomis, Gaulke and Balzer -- signed the training roster July 23 but did not participate in required training.

The case against Loomis is pending and will be discussed at a future Police and Fire Commission meeting, but both Gaulke and Balzer received written warnings.

Both Gaulke and Balzer have a series of directives they must complete, including completing their training, the letter says.

In the letter to Gaulke, Smerz describes Gaulke's career with the Fire Department as a "checkered tenure" in which written warnings will no longer suffice. The chief warns Gaulke that any future misconduct will likely result in more severe discipline and possible termination.

Gaulke was suspended in 2001 and received a letter of reprimand in 2002 for posting in the department a statement that read, "Divide and conquer it's time to open your eyes to the truth." In 2005, he was suspended and demoted from lieutenant to heavy equipment operator.

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By Robert Patrick
St. Louis Post-Dispatch

HAZELWOOD, Mo. — Federal court jurors awarded $17,500 on Wednesday to a fire captain arrested by a Hazelwood police officer in a dispute over where a firetruck was parked during a 2003 car crash rescue.

Juror Betsy Vennemann said after the verdict, "We wanted to make a statement that this kind of behavior will not be tolerated."

 
Capt. David Wilson won $7,500 in compensatory damages and $10,000 in punitive damages. Jurors, including a nun, said they went easy on the defendant, Officer Todd Greeves, because he has a family and they weren't sure who would pay the bill.

Wilson testified that the Robertson Fire Protection District truck was parked in a way to protect rescuers working to free a victim from wreckage along Interstate 270 at McDonnell Boulevard.

Greeves ordered that the truck be moved to accommodate passing traffic and arrested Wilson for ignoring him. Wilson was released after 23 minutes and never charged. He sued, claiming civil rights violations that opened him to anxiety and humiliation.

Greeves told the court the truck was creating a hazard and not adding to safety at the scene.

Jurors interviewed after the verdict said their feeling about Greeves was reinforced during the punitive phase of the trial, when they heard there had been other complaints about him. An internal affairs investigation determined that Greeves used excessive force in a 2002 arrest, court documents show, and was the subject of several other complaints.

Before Wednesday's deliberations, U.S. Magistrate Judge Mary Ann Medler had already ruled that Greeves had no probable cause to arrest Wilson, who she said had state law on his side. She also dismissed the city of Hazelwood as a defendant.

"The whole police and fire communities have been watching this case," said Bevis Schock, one of Wilson's lawyers. "Everybody wanted to know who controls the fire scene."

Greeves' lawyer, Peter Dunne, said he was disappointed in the verdict and the discussion of the other complaints against Greeves. Dunne also said it was unfair to suggest that Greeves did not care about the firefighters' safety.

Dunne said that the city's insurance would not pay for the costs and that the issue is "complicated." Schock said he thinks the insurance probably would pay the compensatory damages, and possibly the punitive. Also at issue is payment of unspecified lawyers' fees.

Spokespersons for the fire district and Hazelwood police could not be reached for comment Wednesday.
Copyright 2008 St. Louis Post-Dispatch

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By Matthias Gafni
The Contra Costa Times
ANTIOCH, Calif. — Antioch may have a serial palm tree arsonist on its hands.

In the past couple of days, someone has intentionally torched downtown palm trees at least three times, Contra Costa Fire Capt. Chris Allen said Wednesday as his truck responded to the latest blaze.

In Wednesday's fire, firefighters quickly doused the trunk of a palm just off A Street near West Second Street. The intentionally set blaze was right next to a pair of palms that were burned Tuesday, and another completely charred tree about 75 feet away, Allen said. A charred barbecue could be seen at the foot of Wednesday's charred tree, but it was unclear how the individual set fire to the tree.

The arsonist also burned a palm tree at the foot of H Street earlier this week, Allen said.

"It does seem kind of odd that these have all been palm trees. Maybe they've got something against Hawaii," he said.

So far, the fires have been set in trees largely away from structures, but with drier weather and a closer proximity to buildings the danger will increase, Allen said.
Copyright 2008 Contra Costa Times

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By Amy Westfeldt
The Associated Press
NEW YORK — The owner of a condemned ground zero skyscraper and several contractors hired to dismantle it turned it into a "death trap" filled with fire hazards, a lawsuit filed by the family of a firefighter killed there last August said.

Wednesday's lawsuit accuses the Lower Manhattan Development Corp., which owned the former Deutsche Bank tower, another government agency overseeing it and the contractors of negligence in firefighter Robert Beddia's death.

Beddia, 53, and firefighter Joseph Graffagnino, 33, were killed Aug. 18 after climbing up more than a dozen floors into the burning tower, which was being dismantled. Careless smoking is believed to have started the fire; a grand jury has been hearing evidence to consider criminal charges.
The lawsuit, filed in state Supreme Court, renews charges made by lawmakers and community officials who have looked into the fire: An inexperienced contractor was hired to take down the toxic tower, and multiple agencies didn't have emergency plans, accessible stairwells with exit routes for firefighters or a working standpipe that would have supplied fire hoses with water.

The lawsuit accuses the main subcontractor, The John Galt Corporation, of allowing its workers to smoke, and other contractors, including Bovis Lend Lease and URS Inc., of failing to remove fire hazards and give firefighters floor plans or other information to help them safely fight the blaze.

The lawsuit also named the Lower Manhattan Construction Command Center, a state-city agency that oversaw demolition of the building, which had been damaged on Sept. 11, 2001, when the World Trade Center collapsed into it.

A spokesman for the agencies declined comment Wednesday.

Bovis, the main contractor still on the job, doesn't comment on pending litigation, spokeswoman Mary Costello said. A spokeswoman for Galt, which was fired from the job a week after the fire, declined comment. An e-mail to URS wasn't immediately returned.

Beddia family attorney Aryeh S. Portnoy said he may file a lawsuit in the future against city agencies charged with the building's safety. The Fire Department of New York has said it hadn't inspected the building for more than a year and never had a plan to fight the fire.

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NEW YORK — A 500-pound man who dropped down a flight of stairs during an emergency evacuation is suing the New York City Fire Department for $5 million in damages.

James Maietta called emergency services on November 23, 2006, with health complaints, and requested to be taken to the hospital, a member of the law firm representing Mr. Maietta, Kenneth Berman, said. Ten firemen rigged a pulley-operated plywood lift to carry Mr. Maietta down the staircase of his Midtown apartment, but failed to tie him down, Mr. Berman said.

Mr. Maietta, who is now living at a Yonkers nursing home, suffered injuries to his neck, back, and legs, Mr. Berman said.

The New York City Law Department could not comment last night because they had not yet received the legal documents.

Copyright 2008 The New York Sun, One SL, LLC
All Rights Reserved

Marin Independent Journal

MARIN COUNTY, Calif. — A Marin County fire captain was in critical condition Monday after a fire engine struck him and wedged him against another fire truck, officials said.

Rubin Martin, 37, of Windsor was airlifted from the Throckmorton Ridge fire station, where the mishap occurred, to the trauma center at John Muir Medical Center in Walnut Creek, firefighters said. Martin suffered a broken leg and a "massive blood loss," according to fire broadcasts. "It sounded like he was in pretty bad shape, losing blood internally," said Deputy Chief Rich Lopez.

The incident occurred at 3:20 p.m. as the Throckmorton crew was returning from a call. Martin, a longtime county firefighter, got out of the truck to help guide a colleague who was backing the fire engine into the garage, said acting Sgt. Bryan Yops of the California Highway Patrol.

When Martin moved from the left side of the rear bumper to the right side, he got pinched between the moving fire engine and a stationary one, Yops said. The firefighter who was driving the truck, 35-year-old Todd Lando of San Anselmo, heard Martin yell and quickly moved the truck forward.

"(Martin) temporarily lost consciousness and lost quite a bit of blood," Yops said.

The fire truck was backing up at less than 5 mph, he said.

A medical helicopter landed at the fire station and flew Martin to John Muir. He was in critical condition Monday night and was admitted to the hospital, a nursing supervisor said.

The incident will be investigated by the California Highway Patrol and Cal/OSHA, the state Division of Occupational Safety and Health.

"We don't know whose fault it is at this point," Yops said.

The Throckmorton Ridge fire station, one of six fire stations the county operates, sits off Panoramic Highway on Mount Tamalpais. The station serves Muir Woods, Mt. Tamalpais State Park, Muir Beach, the Marin Municipal Watershed and the unincorporated areas surrounding Mill Valley.