The Associated Press
 AP Photo/Bebeto Matthews Firefighter Jason Porzse stands at attention during the dedication ceremony. |
NEW YORK — The families of two firefighters killed a year ago in a skyscraper blaze across from ground zero dedicated plaques in their memory Monday, standing side by side with some of the officials they have blamed for the fire at the government-run project.
Bagpipers played “Amazing Grace” and hundreds of firefighters from Engine 24/Ladder 5 saluted as the memorials were unveiled for Firefighter Robert Beddia, 53, and Lt. Joseph Graffagnino, 33.
Graffagnino’s widow, Linda, wiped tears away as the plaques were unveiled, while Mayor Michael Bloomberg touched her arm to console her.
The families have filed wrongful death lawsuits against the state rebuilding agency that owned the former Deutsche Bank tower and the contractors paid to dismantle it and clean it of toxic waste.
They have also filed notices of claim against the city, blaming agencies assigned to inspect the partially dismantled building for the inferno that killed the men. The inspections didn’t uncover a broken standpipe meant to supply water to fire hoses, leaving firefighters without water for an hour during the blaze on Aug. 18, 2007.
Manhattan prosecutors have investigated the blaze for a year, and a grand jury has heard testimony for months from several officials, including Fire Commissioner Nicholas Scoppetta.
“I think they should be tried for murder,” said Joseph Graffagnino Sr., Graffagnino’s father. “If they screw up in a building and they deliberately do things that are wrong in the building just to pocket money and people die because of it, then people should be held accountable.”
Bloomberg told the families the city made changes to make demolition sites safer, including requiring agencies overseeing the building to share information and training inspectors to spot any kind of hazard.
“I can tell you in my heart of hearts, I don’t believe anybody deliberately did anything to make that building less safe,” the mayor said at a later appearance Monday. “Were they derelict in their duty? Only time will tell. In retrospect, obviously one could have done more.”
Asked whether he was concerned that the city would face criminal charges stemming from the blaze, he said, “We’ll have to wait and see ... whether any of this were to get up to the level of criminality, I don’t know what the definition of criminality in this case is.”
Scoppetta said he would be surprised if anyone from the Fire Department is charged; the department, which reassigned three of its officers a week after the fire, is preparing a detailed internal report about the department’s performance.
Scoppetta said he voluntarily testified before the grand jury investigating the fire. “I think there’s a lot be said about what the department was doing before the fire,” he said.
Work stopped for the day at the 26-story tower across from the World Trade Center site in the firefighters’ memory.