Tuesday, December 23, 2008
Manhattan: New indictments in 2007 death of 2 firefighters.

Deutsche Bank fire investigation concludes with indictments
http://www.empirestatenews.net/News/20081223-2.html

NEW YORK - Manhattan District Attorney Robert Morgenthau announced Monday the results of the investigation into the August 18, 2007, fire at the Deutsche Bank building, located at 130 Liberty Street, in which Firefighters Robert Beddia and Joseph Graffagnino lost their lives.

Three individuals and one company have been indicted for manslaughter, criminally negligent homicide and reckless endangerment in the deaths of the firefighters. Those indicted are Jeffrey Melofchik, the Site Safety Manager for the project’s construction manager, Bovis Lend Lease LMB, Inc.; Mitchel Alvo, the Director of Abatement, for Bovis’ subcontractor, The John Galt Corp., and Salvatore DePaola, foreman. GALT has also been indicted on the same charges.

In addition, the District Attorney’s Office has reached agreements with the City of New York and Bovis, which require the City and Bovis to institute major remedial safety measures.

Source: http://news.bostonherald.com/national/northeast/view.bg?articleid=1018027

Grief, loss return to 9/11 firehouse

By Associated Press

Monday, August 20, 2007 - Updated: 06:28 AM EST

NEW YORK - Two more firefighters were dead, and once again the rituals of public bereavement were playing out in front of the brick firehouse in Greenwich Village, where a brass wall plaque lists the names of 11 men who perished on Sept. 11, 2001.

It began slowly, with early-morning dog-walkers pausing as they passed the big, red wooden door on Sixth Avenue. Then came men in blue shorts and FDNY T-shirts, grieving silently.

Soon there was a trickle of civilians carrying paper-wrapped bouquets from nearby florists. They deposited them at two impromptu memorials that steadily grew on the sidewalk. Black and purple bunting was draped over the door later yesterday afternoon. “A loss is a loss, but more so this time because it was at Ground Zero. It hits very close to home,” said Art Weber, 35, a firefighter from Clifton, N.J.