Suspension Of Firefighter Overturned

A Holyoke firefighter who criticized  the city's fire chief and mayor following a deadly apartment fire on New  Year's Day in 2017 is getting a demotion and suspension that followed  overturned.  

Holyoke Fire Chief John Pond had argued to the civilian  Fire Commission that John Cunningham, whose truck malfunctioned at the  fire, failed to oversee the firefighters in his command, disobeyed  orders and falsified reports.  

American Arbitration  Association ruled there was no evidence that Cunningham ignored orders  or violated rules in responding to the fire.  

The board said the city  singled Cunningham out because, as head of the firefighter union, he  criticized Pond and Mayor Alex Morse for temporarily shutting down an  engine before the fire happened. 

The Holyoke Mayor has yet to comment.


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