Fire union plans fight for report's release

The nation's largest firefighters union pledged Monday to fight Charleston Mayor Joe Riley's decision to delay the release of an investigative report detailing how nine city firefighters died in last year's Sofa Super Store blaze.

Local union leaders are rallying their members and the public to descend on Tuesday night's City Council meeting to demand city leaders immediately release the findings of a city-appointed consulting panel. The report, expected to include a detailed narrative of the department's response to the fire, had been expected this week.

But Riley announced late Friday that he won't allow the report to become public until two federal agencies also probing the blaze have released their findings. At least one of those federal reports could be three to four months from completion.

International Association of Fire Fighters General President Harold Schaitberger accused Riley of orchestrating a "cover-up" that endangers firefighters' lives. Schaitberger said the union plans to appeal to political leaders and the public to bring pressure on the mayor. The union also is mulling legal action, he said.

Roger Yow, a former Fire Department captain and head of the local union that represents about half of the city's 250 firefighters, said the delay is a stalling tactic to stave off criticism of the department's handling of the fatal June 18 blaze. "There is just no excuse for what Mayor Riley has done. They don't want the truth to come out."

Riley said he appreciates the concerns of the union leaders but he believes delaying the report is the best way to ensure its accuracy. He spoke with Schaitberger by telephone and said the two respectfully disagreed.

The city held up the report's release, despite assurances from panel leader Gordon Routley that the review is complete.

Yow said he expects a large turnout of firefighters and citizens to appeal directly to City Council Tuesday for the report's release.

Read more in Tuesday's edition of The Post and Courier.