City Fears It'll Get Burned Over Deutsche Bank Building Fire

The New York Times reported Thursday that Gary P. Naftalis will be helping the city prepare for possible criminal negligence charges from the fire that broke out at the Deutsche Bank building fire last month. The city and specific administrators could face fines or even jail time due to the deaths of two of New York's bravest. The agencies involved are the Buildings and Fire Departments.

Bloomberg and other city officials are worried about the bad press they might endure. One telling sign was when officials wanted the firefighters who survived to talk to their lawyers before meeting with prosecutors. The firefighters were smart to ignore those orders. Trying to pressure any firefighter of the FDNY would also be a serious offense. Tampering with witnesses is a definite no-no and prosecutors involved in the case should pay attention to what city lawyers are up to.

The addition of Gary P. Naftalis shows that they are scared of possible repercussions. The city retains plenty of lawyers so you would think they'd be covered. Paying Naftalis up to $660 an hour means that they know the heat is coming. The question is, why? Inquiring minds want to know.