WPBF 25 NEWS STARTS WITH BREAKING NEWS TONIGHT, A WRONGFUL DEATH LAWSUIT NOW FILED AGAINST THE CITY OF RIVIERA BEACH CLAIMING A FAILED CANAL RESCUE ENDED IN A DEATH BECAUSE OF CRITICAL MISTAKES MADE BY FIREFIGHTERS IN THE WATER AND ON THE SHORE, COMES AFTER WPBF 25 INVESTIGATES. EXCLUSIVE FIRST BROKE THE STORY. OUR INVESTIGATIVE REPORTER TERRI PARKER HAS BEEN DIGGING INTO THE CASE FOR NEARLY TWO YEARS NOW. GOOD EVENING. I’M TODD MCDERMOTT AND I’M FELICIA RODRIGUEZ. THANK YOU FOR JOINING US HERE AT SIX. TAKE A LOOK. THIS IS VIDEO WPBF 25 INVESTIGATES FIRST UNCOVERED LAST NOVEMBER, SHOWING THE DESPERATE MOMENTS AFTER HEATH THOMAS’S SUV ENDED UP IN A RIVIERA BEACH CANAL FOR NEARLY TWO YEARS, WE’VE BEEN INVESTIGATING WHAT WENT WRONG, AND NOW A LAWSUIT FILED THIS AFTERNOON BY HIS WIDOW CLAIMS THOMAS WAS STILL ALIVE IN A VEHICLE THAT WAS FLOATING, STABLE AND NOT ACTIVELY SINKING. WHEN FIREFIGHTERS ARRIVED. BUT THE SUIT ALLEGES, AFTER CREWS BROKE INTO THE SUV, THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO SINK AND QUICKLY SUBMERGED. THE LAWSUIT CAUSED THE MAN’S DEATH PREVENTABLE AND ACCUSES THE CITY OF FAILURES IN TRAINING, EQUIPMENT PROVIDED AND COMMAND DECISIONS MADE ON THAT SCENE. PLAINTIFF’S LAWYERS ALSO POINT TO FINDINGS FIRST EXPOSED IN OUR WPBF 25 NEWS INVESTIGATION. THEY INCLUDED VIOLATIONS OF SAFETY PROTOCOLS DURING THE RESCUE AND FAILURES IN OPERATING GUIDELINES MADE BY THE ASSISTANT FIRE CHIEF, WHO WAS THERE AND IN CHARGE. THOMAS’S WIDOW, GINNI THOMAS, AND HER ATTORNEYS ARE EXPECTED TO SPEAK TOMORROW MORNING AT THE CANA
Widow files wrongful death lawsuit against Riviera Beach over canal rescue
A wrongful death lawsuit has been filed against the town of Riviera Beach, alleging that important errors made by firefighters throughout a canal rescue led to the death of Heath Thomas. Your neighborhood: Local protection from WPBF 25 NewsThe lawsuit, filed this afternoon by Thomas’ widow, Gia Thomas, claims that her husband was nonetheless alive in a car that was “floating, stable, and not actively sinking” when firefighters arrived on the scene. However, the go well with alleges that after crews broke into the SUV, “the vehicle began to sink and quickly submerged.” The lawsuit describes Thomas’ death as preventable and accuses the town of failures in coaching, gear supplied, and command selections made through the rescue. The plaintiffs’ attorneys additionally pointed to findings first uncovered in WPBF 25 Investigates’ report final November, which included violations of security protocols through the rescue and failures in working pointers made by the assistant fireplace chief who was current and in cost on the scene. Get the newest information updates with the WPBF 25 News app. You can obtain it right here.Gia Thomas and her attorneys are anticipated to talk tomorrow morning on the canal the place the incident occurred.
A wrongful death lawsuit has been filed against the town of Riviera Beach, alleging that important errors made by firefighters throughout a canal rescue led to the death of Heath Thomas.
Your neighborhood: Local coverage from WPBF 25 News
The lawsuit, filed this afternoon by Thomas’ widow, Gia Thomas, claims that her husband was nonetheless alive in a car that was “floating, stable, and not actively sinking” when firefighters arrived on the scene. However, the go well with alleges that after crews broke into the SUV, “the vehicle began to sink and quickly submerged.”
The lawsuit describes Thomas’ death as preventable and accuses the town of failures in coaching, gear supplied, and command selections made through the rescue.
The plaintiffs’ attorneys additionally pointed to findings first uncovered in WPBF 25 Investigates’ report final November, which included violations of security protocols through the rescue and failures in working pointers made by the assistant fireplace chief who was current and in cost on the scene.
Get the newest information updates with the WPBF 25 News app. You can obtain it here.
Gia Thomas and her attorneys are anticipated to talk tomorrow morning on the canal the place the incident occurred.
