Fire dept., store fined in deadly fire

State regulators fined the Charleston Fire Department and a furniture store Thursday for violating safety standards in a blaze that killed nine firefighters.

The state Occupational Safety and Health Administration did not say that the violations led directly to the June 18 deaths of nine firefighters. It was the nation's single worst loss of firefighters since the 2001 terrorist attacks at the World Trade Center.

The combined fines totaled $42,100.

The report cited the fire department for four violations, including one "willful" violation for having an inadequate command structure that could ensure firefighter safety in an emergency. In all, the department was hit with four violations totaling $9,325 in fines.

Charleston Mayor Joseph P. Riley Jr. said the city will fight the citations and has asked for a hearing to defend itself. The city has changed some policies that led to the fines, and the citations were unfair and wrongly issued, he said.

He said that following the fire the city changed some of the policies the incurred the fines, but believes the citations were unfair and wrongly issued.

"It's very important that we seek the truth and we keep the record straight," the mayor said.

The Sofa Super Store was cited for a "willful" violation for having padlocked doors. It was also cited for fire doors that did not work and not having an emergency action plan in place for its employees.

One store worker was trapped during the blaze but was pulled to safety by firefighters. The store was fined $32,775.

Store owner Herb Goldstein defended having the doors locked.

"Our managers locked the doors at closing time to keep criminals and transients out of the building, and only when there were no customers present," Goldstein said in a statement.

The fire department was cited for not having procedures for fighting a fire involving a metal truss roof, according to the report. Steel trusses are prone to failure in fires because the steel weakens when heated.

In the Charleston fire, witnesses reported the roof collapsing. The coroner said the firefighters died of burns and smoke inhalation.

The store's showroom had a steel truss roof, and a fire official has said the blaze spread in the ceiling without his realizing it. The fine for the violation was $900.