Dozens of New York City firefighters filled a courtroom Tuesday, encouraged by new charges in connection with a house explosion that killed one of their own. Roseanne Colletti reports.
The two men arrested on marijuana possession charges in connection with the illegal grow farm that blew up last week, killing a firefighter, are now facing new charges in the firefighter's death.
Julio Salcedo, 34, and Garivaldi Castillo, 32, already faced marijuana possession charges for allegedly running a marijuana grow garm in the Bronx apartment that blew up. On Tuesday, prosecutors added charges of first-degree assault resulting in the death of FDNY Battalion Chief Michael Fahy and second-degree assault that resulted in an injury of a fire lieutenant on the scene.
Fahy, 44, was killed by flying debris in the blast.
Dozens of Fahy's colleagues in the FDNY streamed out of the Bronx courtroom Tuesday, encouraged by the new charges.
FDNY Battalion Chief Dan O'Donnell said, "It's a very emotional thing to lose a member, so it's a sad day. We'd rather be at City Hall watching him get a medal."
Both defendants declined to testify before the grand jury.
Salcedo's attorney refused to comment to NBC 4, but Castillo's lawyer said his client deserves a fair shake.
"He's got two young daughters who miss him very much, we're going to continue to fight this case," said lawyer Francisco Serrano. "We will continue to seek justice for him."
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On Saturday, thousands gathered in Yonkers to mourn Fahy, a father of three young children, ages 6, 8 and 11. He became a firefighter in 1999 after practicing as a lawyer for nine months and served through 9/11. He ascended through the ranks to become battalion chief in 2012 after 13 years of service, making him the second fastest to ever do so in FDNY history.
Two days after his death, Fahy was posthumously promoted to deputy chief, the highest civil service promotional achievement in the FDNY, by Mayor de Blasio and Commissioner Nigro.
Fahy was the 1,145th firefighter to die in the line of duty since the FDNY's inception in 1865. He is the first member of the department to die since 2014.
