By Phillip Matier and Andrew Ross
The San Francisco Chronicle
SAN FRANCISCO — The San Francisco Fire Department is investigating a tailgate party involving about 30 off-duty firefighters outside a soup kitchen run by nuns with Mother Teresa’s order - and the rumor that a booze-fueled firefighter may have groped a female kitchen volunteer, then dropped his pants in front of a second volunteer in a bathroom.
According to those familiar with the investigation, it all began when the off-duty firefighters were holding a barbeque at the old fire station just down Third Street from AT&T Park after attending a Giants day game Aug. 29.
The brick building is the home of both the firefighter union’s Toys for Tots program and a soup kitchen run by Mother Teresa’s Missionaries of Charity.
Reportedly there was a tussle, either between two firefighters or between the firefighters and some of the homeless who eat at the soup kitchen, or both.
There are disturbing reports of what happened next. The Fire Department is investigating whether one of the firefighters, who appeared to be intoxicated, came into the old station’s kitchen and groped one of the volunteers from behind.
The department is also investigating whether another female volunteer was confronted in the bathroom a short time later by the same drunken firefighter with his pants around his ankles.
The top nun at the local Missionaries of Charity, Sister Zavetia, said she hadn’t been at the soup kitchen at the time and didn’t want to talk about the incident. She did say that the order had called police and that officers had checked out the scene, but by then the party had broken up.
Sister Zavetia said the volunteers didn’t want to press charges. The head nun, however, made it clear that she would be willing to talk with the fire chief herself.
The nuns also said they had contacted firefighters union President John Hanley, based on the mistaken impression that he was the chief.
Hanley, in Boston to attend two firefighter funerals, told us Tuesday that he had urged Sister Zavetia twice to call the police because “this is a police matter.”
“That said, let’s wait until all the facts are in and we have a thorough investigation before we pass judgment on San Francisco’s firefighters,” Hanley said, adding, “This does not sound like any of the men and women I’ve worked with.”
Chief Joanne Hayes-White, who first heard of the incident from us, sent an investigator to talk with the nuns.
“The allegations seem to be very serious,” the chief said afterward. “If any of the allegations are true, there would be no tolerance. I’m making this a top priority.”
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