San Francisco fire chief to call for firefighter's firing

By Brent Begin, Bay City News Service

July 13, 2006

SAN FRANCISCO (BCN) - Formal charges against a San Francisco firefighter accused of attacking a colleague while on duty are expected to be read tonight at a fire commission meeting.

Fire Chief Joanne Hayes-White is calling for the termination of five-year department veteran Bela Carreira on suspicion of striking a firefighter several times and causing serious injury.

Hayes-White also claims that Carreira covered up the incident with the help of acting Lt. Tom Masterson, a 27-year veteran. The chief also wants to punish Masterson by suspending him 90 days, according commission secretary Tania Bauer.

A representative of the San Francisco Firefighters Association will represent Carreira in the hearings.

"This is a very serious situation," association President John Hanley said. "We're not handling it lightly."

The charges stem from an altercation that occurred May 20 at station 32 in the Bernal Heights neighborhood. Carreira allegedly struck another firefighter in the course of an argument, causing enough damage to warrant medical attention, according to charging documents.

Both Carreira and Masterson are also accused of writing up false or incomplete reports and not alerting a superior in a timely manner.

According to Bauer, information surrounding the altercation will become public as the commission interviews witnesses.

Also this afternoon in a special closed meeting, commissioners are deciding the fate of firefighter Alfred Tenbruggencate, who was charged with violating the department's substance abuse policy.

Bauer said she expects the commission to reveal the results of the closed session to the public directly after.

The fire commission meeting is scheduled to begin at 6 p.m. in room 102 at commission headquarters, 698 Second St., San Francisco. The special closed-session meeting began at 4 p.m.

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