Widow sues in fireman's death

The widow of a Gretna firefighter who was killed last year while on duty has sued the fire department and the city for allegedly causing his death by refusing to replace outdated equipment.

Ralph Arabie, a 30-year veteran of the David Crockett Steam Fire Company No. 1, was killed in September 2008 at the station on Lafayette Street when the hydraulic boom of a 1965 aerial device struck and pinned his head against one of the station's trucks. He died at the scene from blunt force trauma to the head.

The lawsuit, filed Sept. 29, the one-year anniversary of Arabie's death, alleges that Arabie was killed because the city and station failed to "properly maintain an already over aged fire truck" and "replace overly-aged hydraulic components."

Jan Arabie is suing for damages including the loss of her spouse, loss of support, mental anguish and emotional distress. The case has been assigned to Judge Glenn B. Ansardi of the 24th Judicial District Court.

The fire department and city "were so aware of the degenerative condition of the fire truck . . . and its risk for death or serious bodily injury that they impounded the articulating aerial platform, including the boom . . . so that the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health would not be able to inspect it," she alleges in the lawsuit.

Arabie also accuses the defendants of failing to obtain money to replace the truck or outfit it with safety features despite the availability of federal grants.

"They knew it was unsafe yet they failed to provide the funding to equip it with the proper and modern safety measures and/or to retire it to ensure the safety of its firefighters," the lawsuit states.

Chief George Burnetz Jr. and City Attorney Mark Morgan said they were not aware of the lawsuit and declined to comment....