By THOMAS J. LUECK
The New York Times
NEW YORK — Criticism over the Fire Department’s reliance on older vehicles, which may have contributed to a firefighter’s injury on Friday, intensified yesterday as the firefighters’ union called for an outside investigation. The union contended that “outdated and unsafe equipment” was jeopardizing the safety of firefighters and the public.
“We feel that the F.D.N.Y. is incapable of handling such an investigation objectively,” said Stephen J. Cassidy, president of the Uniformed Firefighters Association. His statement was prompted in part by the accident on Friday in which Firefighter Joseph Moore fractured his skull in a fall from a ladder truck in Manhattan. The vehicle was an older one in use while a newer one was undergoing maintenance.
Fire officials said that an outside investigation was not needed. Virginia Lam, a department spokeswoman, said its safety command unit and the police were investigating.
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