Massachusetts Firefighter’s Family Files Wrongful Death Lawsuit

The family of a Boston firefighter who was killed when a ladder truck careened down a steep hill and crashed into a building has filed a wrongful death lawsuit against six companies who worked on or inspected brakes on the truck.

Lt. Kevin Kelley was killed on Jan. 9, 2009, when the brakes failed on the truck in the Mission Hill section of Boston. The 52-year-old Kelley was a passenger in the truck when it sped down a hill, struck two parked cars, crashed through a brick wall and slammed into the side of a brick building before stopping. Kelley died of head injuries.

The lawsuit filed in Suffolk Superior Court Monday alleges that because of negligence and faulty work by private vendors who serviced the ladder truck, the rear brakes had severely reduced braking power.

The lawsuit seeks unspecified damages.