By Dan McCue
Staff Writer

CHARLESTON -- Citing the city of Charleston’s “good faith undertaking of an independent and comprehensive review” of its fire department in the wake of the catastrophic June fire that claimed the lives of nine firefighters, a state occupational safety board announced Monday it was reducing fines levied against the department by slightly less than two-thirds.

The reduction of fines from $9,325 to $3,160 is the result of a settlement agreement between S.C. OSHA and the city of Charleston stemming from the June 18 Sofa Super Store fire.

Although both parties are in agreement regarding the settlement’s provisions, it will not be final until it is reviewed and approved by the S.C. Occupational Health and Safety Review Board chairperson, according to a written statement released by the agency.

Until it is approved, S.C. OSHA personnel aren’t allowed to discuss the settlement.

Mayor Joseph P. Riley Jr. announced details of the settlement at 5 p.m. Monday at City Hall at 80 Broad St.

Riley said he was pleased with OSHA’s decision to either eliminate or significantly amend all of the original citations lodged against the city, the move that lead to the reduction in fines.

“We wanted to move forward and we felt reaching this agreement was a way to move forward,” Riley said.

Under the settlement, the fire department was cited for two, rather than the initial four violations, which the city had contested. Among the original charges lodged by OSHA was that the nine deceased firefighters weren’t wearing the proper gear or breathing apparatus when they entered the Sofa Super Store. The settlement agreement now states that only three firefighters who responded to the scene lacked protective gear and four did not have breathing apparatus, Riley said. None of those men were among the nine who died in the fire, he said.

The state OSHA also fined Sofa Super Store owner Herb Goldstein a total of $32,775 for violating state safety regulations.

Goldstein’s attorney, Richard S. Rosen, said Monday that his client continues to be in discussions with OSHA “about resolving any issues that might exist.”