Aug 29, 2007 11:55 pm US/Eastern
Bovis Officials Take Hot Seat In Deutsche Fire
Residents, City Officials Question Firm Responsible For Deconstruction Of Toxic Building
by Lou Young
NEW YORK (CBS) ―
The firm responsible for tearing down the Deutsche Bank building at ground zero was on the hot seat Wednesday night trying to cool concerns following the recent fire that killed two firefighters.
Residents and city leaders came to grill Bovis Lend Lease officials about the deadly fire and the conditions inside the toxic skyscraper. One person in the crowd in particular stood out: the father of one of the firefighters killed, Joseph Graffagnino Sr.
The elder Graffagnino got regrets, but no answers.
"We deeply, deeply regret the loss of life and subsequent injuries that have occurred at 120 Liberty Street," said Mark Melson, Executive Vice President of Bovis. "You must understand, however, we're gonna be unable to discuss the circumstances that led up to details of what happened on Aug. 18."
Graffagnino left the meeting frustrated. His son, Joseph Graffagnino Jr., as well as firefighter Robert Beddia, died in the fire. He says he's not sure who to blame for his son's death.
"I'm more interested in what happened in the past which is what they're refusing to talk about. Why did they do what they did before and how did they let it go as bad as it did without anybody questioning anything, with all these agencies and LMDC and nobody seems to be questioning them?" Graffagnino Sr. told CBS 2.
He's talking about the hybrid state agency in charge that's tearing the damaged skyscraper down, the Lower MDC. Bovis officials call it "the client."
"That's not up to us, it' s up to the client that we're working for," Melson said.
Others were pointing fingers at the fire department's failure to force the LMDC and its contractors to run demolition differently. Some are suggesting the real blame lies elsewhere.
"Take the focus off the fire department and put the focus on who it should really be on: the people here tonight," said Sally Regenheard, mother of a 9/11 victim.
Representatives from the firm agreed to the meeting organized by Manhattan borough president Scott Stringer, who convinced company heads they needed to do something given the mess at the deconstruction project and amid the community's high level of anxiety.
"There's issues relating to their health, to fumes and toxic issues, there's issues relating to contractors not being supervised, people smoking and drinking and running around like a bunch of lunatics in a very dangerous building," Stringer tells CBS 2. "We want to make sure that if Bovis is gonna stay on this project that they're gonna stay on it in such a way that it will be safe."
Bovis almost immediately after the blaze fired John Galt, the sub-contractor blamed for many of the problems.
Stay with wcbstv.com and CBS 2 HD for the latest on this continuing story.
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