The three lieutenants, who remain on duty with pay, are accused of intentionally setting fire May 28 to a vacant building in Southeast Washington.

Jeffrey A. Sosebee, one of the accused, said the lieutenants knew the buildings were scheduled to be demolished and that’s why they decided to set fire to them to help train their firefighters.

"It was a bad judgment call that went wrong," he said.

Sosebee has retained legal counsel.

Although neither Sosebee nor any fire department officials would confirm the exact location where the incident took place, Greg Rhett of the Marshall Heights Community Development Organization speculated the location was the long-vacant Eastgate Gardens public housing complex. The D.C. government recently demolished the complex, which stood at 4999 F St. SE. Rhett said the housing project had numerous fires since it was abandoned.

All three firefighters – Sosebee, David R. Hibbon and Walter E. Webb — were transferred earlier this month in what Assistant Fire Chief Floyd A. Madison described as "management prerogatives" not intended as punitive measures.

Madison said the three officers were transferred out of their firehouses because "it sets a bad example for those (firefighters) they have to lead" to leave them there if they "don’t quite follow the rules."

Fire Chief Donald Edwards declined comment on any aspect of the allegations. Webb and Hibbon could not be reached for comment.

Sosebee, who was stationed at Engine 7 in Southwest Washington, was transferred to Engine 32 in the Knox Hill neighborhood of Southeast Washington. Webb, who was at Engine 10 in Stanton Park in Northeast Washington, was also transferred to Engine 32. Hibbon was transferred to Engine 2 in Chinatown from Engine 18 on Capitol Hill.

Madison said the D.C. corporation counsel, who prosecutes trial board cases for the fire department, has not yet set a date for the trial. Sosebee said he thinks it will be scheduled within the next two weeks.

There is currently no facility in the District where firefighters can practice putting out fires. City firefighters have been training in Virginia. Sosebee said the lack of a training facility was not the reason the fires were set.

Fire trial boards consist of a battalion chief and two captains chosen in rotation, said Battalion Chief Alvin Carter, a fire department spokesman. The defendant may object to the selection of any or all the officers chosen for the board.

The lieutenants face punishments ranging from official letters of reprimand to suspension or dismissal from the department if found guilty, Madison said.

Raymond Sneed, president of the International Association of Fire Fighters local that represents the city’s fire personnel, said none of the lieutenants has approached the union about providing legal representation.

Copyright 1998, The Common Denominator