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NEW YORK (CBS) ― Firefighters and city officials marched from the site of the deadly Deutsche Bank fire to City Hall Saturday, in a call for change. They want the city to do more to protect firefighters, crane operators, and other workers from unsafe conditions.
The loss of a son has been hard enough for Rosemarie Graffignino, but knowing his death could have been prevented makes it even harder.
"Every day is a struggle," she told CBS 2 HD.
Along with hundreds of other firefighters, Joseph Graffignino and Robert Beddia were sent into the former Deutsche Bank building to fight flames last August. But the abandoned building- ridden with asbestos, had a broken standpipe and no water supply to fight the flames, making it a death trap. The skyscraper was damaged in the Sept. 11 terror attacks and was in the process of being dismantled when it caught fire.
There were dozens of safety violations that should have been caught by city inspectors, and there are still loopholes in the system, said Graffignino.
Last month's deadly crane collapse was the latest example.
"Yes I'm angry. That's why I'm here," said Graffignino.
Joseph Graffagnino Sr. was among at least 100 people marching from a ground zero firehouse to City Hall Park to call for better safeguards at major construction sites.
"Through bungling and bureaucracy we're losing lives," said Manhattan borough president Scott Stringer. "It's gotta stop today."
The Manhattan district attorney has convened a grand jury as part of a broad investigation that is probing negligence and possible kickbacks or other financial chicanery into the Deutsche Bank building fiasco.
"Somebody has to be held accountable for the conditions in that building, and someone needs to be held accountable for sending a hundred firefighters in that building," said Steve Cassidy, President of the Uniform Firefighters Association.
"In New York City, the greatest city in the world we should have higher standards to save our own," added Rosemarie Graffagnino.
Jason Post, a spokesman for Mayor Michael Bloomberg, said the Fire Department has beefed up its building inspection program since the fatal fire.
"The Deutsche Bank fire was a tragic incident. Nothing is more important to the City than firefighter safety," Post said. "We have learned from the Deutsche Bank fire lessons about how to protect first responders."
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