Board suspends some Briarcliffe firefighters after racist remarks caught on video
The firefighters who made the alleged comments didn't know other firefighters were still on the line.
GLENOLDEN, Pennsylvania (WPVI) -- Some members of the Briarcliffe Fire Company have been placed on administrative suspension after a recent video call captured racist dialogue.
The decision was made during a meeting at the Briarcliffe Fire Company on Thursday night.
"The Board voted to place certain members on administrative suspension pending the results of the Township's investigation. This is without prejudice to take further action at the conclusion of the Township's investigation. The names of the members under administrative suspension will not be released at this time because this is an internal personnel matter," officials told Action News on Friday.
Officials are still investigating, but the Briarcliffe Fire Company Station 75 was temporarily shut down after the audio surfaced.
The original video call was to discuss the consolidation of services between the Briarcliffe, Goodwill, and Darby Township fire companies.
When county and state officials got off the call, members of the Briarcliffe Fire Company allegedly stayed on and engaged in a discussion that included racial slurs and disparaging remarks about African Americans in the area.
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"A bunch of f---ing n--- down there," one man can be heard saying while discussing the all-Black Darby Township Fire Company. There were also comments about Darby's chief.
"He's just a piece of s---," one person said.
Another comment called the African American chief by a racial slur as the person speaking recalled a time when the chief was in one of Briarcliffe's vehicles to the ire of the firefighter.
"F--- s--- and he's looking in the truck," said the man on the call.
The damning video call also captured someone making fun of Fanta Bility, the 8-year-old girl killed by police gunfire in Sharon Hill.
"Fanta soda, yeah, orange or Fanta grape," one man said on the call while chuckling, even after being told that the girl was shot to death by police.
The Briarcliffe Fire Company remains shut down pending the investigation.
The next Darby Township meeting is scheduled for March 9, but it will be probably be moved to the high school due to the large public interest in these proceedings.
