Baltimore City (MD) Fire Chief Niles Ford has resigned after the department released its internal Board of Inquiry report related to the line-of-duty deaths earlier this year of Lieutenant Paul Butrim, Lieutenant Kelsey Sadler, and EMT/Firefighter Kenny Lacayo. The firefighters were killed in a collapse at the scene of a structure fire at 205 S. Stricker Street.
According to a statement from the mayor’s office, Assistant Chief Charles Svehla, Assistant Chief Chris Caisse, and Assistant Chief Dante Stewart will each serve as Acting Fire Chief for a designated time period until a new chief is found. Chief Ford led the agency for eight years.
The report outlines the events that occurred on January 24, 2022, along with findings and recommendations for changes. The Board of Inqurity was composed of personnel from the Baltimore City Fire Department, Prince George’s County Fire and EMS, District of Columbia Fire and EMS, and the Howard County Department of Fire and Rescue Services.
The full report can found here.
