Lawyer Wants FDNY Chief's Retirement Halted For Probe: Report

HARLEM, NY — The lawyer representing a city fire marshal who claims the FDNY covered up the cause of a deadly Harlem fire to protect Hollywood filmmakers is requesting that the city delay the retirement of an FDNY chief who may be able to assist the city's investigation into the claim, according to reports.

Attorney Peter Gleason requested new Department of Investigations Commissioner Margaret Garnett to stall the retirement of FDNY Assistant Chief Fire Marshal J.D. Lynn, the Daily News first reported. Lynn's retirement is expected to begin on Saturday, his 65th birthday, according to the report.

Gleason argued that as a private citizen, Lynn would no longer be forced to comply with the city's probe into the cause of a March fire that killed veteran firefighter Michael Davidson, the News reported.

Fire Marshal Scott Specht filed a notice of claim — the precursor to a lawsuit — against the city, the FDNY and department officials such as Lynn and other higher-ups earlier in December alleging an effort to cover up the true cause of a deadly five-alarm fire that broke out in Harlem.

Specht claims that the fire officials attempted to cover up the cause of the fire in order to protect Hollywood stars such as Edward Norton and Bruce Willis, who were filming in the building when it burst into flames.

An FDNY spokesperson told the Daily News that Lynn has served the department for 36 years with an "unblemished record" and that "his well-deserved retirement will not be held up by unsubstantiated allegations."

Read the full Daily News article here.

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