Mark Hicks
The Detroit News
(TNS)
Jan. 10—Flint's former fire chief is suing the city and its mayor, alleging he was terminated last year after refusing to lie about a fatal house fire and how his crewmembers responded.
Ousting Raymond Barton, a lifelong resident who had led the city Fire Department since 2016, "violated his federal rights, including his free-speech rights under the First Amendment, and the public policy of Michigan," the chief's attorneys said in the lawsuit filed Monday in U.S. District Court.
The litigation focuses on the fallout from the two-alarm blaze reported May 28 on Pulaski.
Two of the firefighters who responded initially claimed to have thoroughly searched the house for residents, including using infrared equipment and thermal imaging, but found no one trapped, according to the suit.
However, about seven minutes later, a second set of firefighters found two brothers, ages 12 and 9, in an upstairs bedroom, "visible to the naked eye," the document stated.
The boys were identified as Zy'Aire and LaMar Mitchell, both African American.
State fire investigators determined electrical wiring in the residence caused the blaze, city officials said.
Barton believed the two firefighters had lied and started investigating, his lawyers said.
"They initially refused to give complete reports about their actions at the fire; and when they did finally submit their reports, Chief Barton concluded that they were false," according to the lawsuit. "Chief Barton...
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