The attorney for the family of deceased fire recruit Racheal Wilson said Thursday he believes Wilson was “set up” by a Baltimore City Fire Department resistant to her advancement within the agency.
“It was even worse than gross negligence,” said attorney Warren Brown, who said he plans to file a lawsuit in Baltimore City Circuit Court. “They were saying, ?Let?s get her out of here.? They didn?t mean to kill her, but they set her up for failure.”
Baltimore Mayor Sheila Dixon on Thursday officially released a final report into the Feb. 9 death of Wilson during a training exercise. The report found about 50 violations of national fire standards.
The exercise involved multiple fires set in the same building and lacked sufficient safety personnel, radio communication and pre-training planning, the report stated.
“The report supports what we?ve been hearing anyway ? about their disregard, their lack of respect for her, their belief that she couldn?t cut the mustard,” Brown said.
Both City Council presidential candidate Kenneth Harris Sr. and Clerk of the Court Frank M. Conaway Sr. called this week for Fire Chief William Goodwin to step down because of Wilson?s death.
“I think Racheal Wilson?s death should be considered manslaughter because of the reckless way the live-burn exercise was handled,” said Conaway, a mayoral candidate.
Anthony McCarthy, spokesman for Mayor Sheila Dixon, questioned whether Conaway and Harris had even read the report.
“Simply pointing the finger at one person will not solve the problems we are facing,” McCarthy said. “The leadership has implemented some much-needed cultural and administrative changes in the fire department. Mayor Dixon is digesting the report, talking with experts, and she will make the decision in the best interest of Baltimore.”
The 117-page report, prepared by Howard County Deputy Fire Chief Chris Shimer, listed dozens of missteps and errors during the live burn that killed Wilson on Calverton Road.
Fire Department spokesman Rick Binetti said “many of the recommendations in the report have already been implemented.”
Dixon said she pledges to ensure the safety of cadets in the department.
“I think about the loss of Racheal Wilson every day,” Dixon said.
