It was a somber day at the city?s fire academy Monday, as Chief William Goodwin dropped by to lift the spirits of more than 50 recruits still reeling from the death last week of a fellow cadet, officials said.
As the broad investigation into the training fire that turned fatal Friday for Rachael Wilson, a 29-year-old mother of two, rolled on Goodwin “met with the recruits to express his condolences, and to encourage them,” a spokesman said, “highlighting the fact that training is essential.”
It was still not clear Monday afternoon what killed Wilson, who collapsed shortly after noon in a burning West Baltimore row house and was rushed to the University of Maryland Shock Trauma Center. Fire Chief Kevin Cartwright said that from safety personnel on scene to the ratio of students to instructors participating in the training fire that day, the exercise was up to standard.
As is normal for a line-of-duty death, Cartwright said, the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives is among several agencies expected to investigate the incident.
Officials said Wilson?s death dealt a heavy psychological blow to her classmates, who entered the academy on Nov. 13 and are expected to graduate late next month.
“Once you become a member of the department, you?re embraced by the entire family,” said Rick Schluderberg, president of the local fire union. “There will be time for an investigation … [but] right now we want to concentrate in dealing with the loss and paying honor and respect.”
Funeral arrangements were not yet finalized, but Schluderberg said a viewing was scheduled preliminarily for Thursday between noon and 8 p.m. at John Wesley United Methodist Church in Baltimore.
