- Greg Hambrick
Staff Writer
Greg Hambrick is a staff writer for the Charleston City Paper. He covers the 2008 elections, City Hall, and other Charleston news. He likes musicals and comic books. He's not surprised that people don't vote when you have lazy, half-invested fingers pointing toward the polling place.
Category Archives: News (Sofa Store Fire)
Fireman Makes a Bell Honoring Charleston Nine
June 23, 2008 – 10:52 am
For the anniversary last week, we ran some photos of the items that have been left at the Sofa Super Store site honoring the nine firefighters who lost their lives in the blaze.
The memorials kept coming last week, including a bell crafted by Florida firefighter Scott Adams out of steel oxygen tanks typically worn by […]
Mayor: Department Failings Fanned Sofa Store Tragedy
June 5, 2008 – 6:42 pm
In remarks to Charleston residents Thursday noting the changes to the fire department since last year’s Sofa Super Store blaze, Mayor Joe Riley for the first time suggested the departments problems with training and equipment may have contributed to the problems at the scene. The fire led to the deaths of nine Charleston firefighters.
“Last month, […]
Riley Address May Leave Out Meat
June 5, 2008 – 1:51 pm
Mayor Joe Riley is going to be speaking to nightly news viewers (personally, that’s my hour with Judge Judy, but I’m willing to make an exception tonight) to talk about the Sofa Super Store fire and update folks on the happening regarding department reforms.
Unfortunately, he told the Post and Courier that he may not get […]
Mayor Nixes Special Meeting on Fire Promotions, Transfers
June 2, 2008 – 6:40 pm
Mayor Joe Riley told City Council members that the council’s Public Safety Committee could not hold a special meeting Monday to discuss last minute promotions and transfers by outgoing Fire Chief Rusty Thomas. The news led City Councilman Jimmy Gallant, who had called the special meeting, to resign as chair of the council’s Public Safety […]
Charleston Nine Memorial Plans
May 28, 2008 – 2:43 pm
From the city:
June 18, 2008 will mark one year from the day of the death of the Charleston Nine firefighters who perished in the fire at 1807 Savannah Highway, the former location of the Sofa Super Store. On Wednesday, June 18, there will be a Memorial Service at the Gaillard Auditorium at 10:00 AM to […]
Riley Misses Lessons Learned From Sofa Store Report
May 16, 2008 – 9:18 am
For someone who has pledged from very early that lessons would be learned from the Sofa Super Store fire, Mayor Joe Riley had a tough time taking the medicine Thursday.
The city commissioned an independent review team investigation of the blaze that killed nine Charleston firefighters, but the report’s lengthy rebuke of the dangerous culture, training, […]
Sofa Store Report Faults Leadership, Training, Building Safety
May 15, 2008 – 2:12 pm
The Sofa Store Report will be officially released this afternoon, but an advance copy obtained by the AP lays out key findings. The report points to some things we already knew, like that training and command procedures were not up to snuff in Charleston.
But the report also claims, in stark terms, that the leadership in […]
Chief Rusty To Retire June 27
May 14, 2008 – 9:40 am
The city announced today that Chief Rusty Thomas is retiring near the end of June.
“I feel as though the best thing I can do right now to help this department that I love so much heal from the tragedy of June 18 is to step aside as chief,” Thomas wrote to Mayor Joe Riley on […]
City Releases Draft of Federal Report on Sofa Super Store
May 8, 2008 – 7:41 pm
City officials released the draft report from the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health regarding the June 18 Sofa Super Store fire. Recommendations will not be released until the final report is complete, but the draft version provides a summary of the events that led to the death of nine Charleston firefighters in the […]
Mayor to Release Sofa Store Study May 15
May 6, 2008 – 12:33 pm
Mayor Joe Riley announced today that he would, in fact, release the independent fire review team study report on the Sofa Super Store fire next week. Late last week (like, 6:30 Friday), Riley announced he was delaying the report, and has since received harsh criticism.
Commissioned by the city last year, the report is expected to […]
