Detroit Fire Official Canned after Run-in with Reporter

May 31--A top administrator of the Detroit Fire Department has been removed from his job after a run-in with a local TV reporter on camera.

Deputy Fire Commissioner Fred Wheeler has been unappointed, effective immediately, Detroit Mayor Dave Bing said in a statement today.

For a report that aired earlier this week, Fox 2 News reporter Charlie LeDuff confronted Wheeler, asking about the deplorable conditions in fire stations across the city at a time when the city is building a new public safety headquarters. Wheeler, spouting profanities, slapped the microphone out of LeDuff's hand.

"My administration has investigated the incident between Deputy Fire Commissioner Fred Wheeler and Fox2 reporter Charlie LeDuff," Bing said in his statement. "We have a code of conduct for our appointees and we determined the Deputy Fire Commissioner violated that code in this unfortunate incident."

In a statement released today, Wheeler said: "Today, I tendered my resignation from the City of Detroit. I am grateful for the opportunity I had to work with Mayor Bing so that we had a successful Angels' Night, were able to implement national standards for how fire events are conducted and that I was able to assist with the reorganization of the administrative staff so that it includes more professionals."

Contact Gina Damron: 313-223-4526 or gdamron@freepress.com.

Watch Fox 2 video of Charlie LeDuff and Fred Wheeler

LeDuff: Some Detroit Fire Stations Need to be Condemned: MyFoxDETROIT.com

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