BALTIMORE, Md. — A veteran Baltimore fire safety officer was found dead in the lower level of a home Wednesday morning.
Fox5 reported that firefighters were called to the scene around 12:30 a.m for a fire. Lt. James Bethea, a fire safety officer and 40-year veteran of the Baltimore City Fire Department, stayed on scene to investigate safety conditions.
Police said his body was discovered hours later when his abandoned vehicle was noticed outside the house by an off-duty firefighter.
Initial reports are that Lt. Bethea had gone to check exposures for safety concerns and while doing so, it appears he fell 8 feet into the basement of the abandoned structure, Firefighter Close Calls reported.
He was “put in service” at 3:30 a.m. His car was found around 8:30 a.m. The department is looking into why he was put into service.
Fire Chief Niles Ford said Bethea was not just a member of the department, but he was also a mentor.
“He was a fatherly figure,” Chief Ford said. “We’re going to do a serious and thorough investigation. We’re going to be extremely open about what happens here.”
We’ll update you once more information becomes available.