The district attorney and state police are investigating whether criminal activity occurred in relation to a false fire call last week.
Holyoke provisional Fire Chief William P. Moran.HOLYOKE – The Fire Commission will hold an emergency meeting Friday about the status of acting Fire Chief William P. Moran.
Moran, who is on paid administrative leave, is being investigated by state police and has been ordered to attend the meeting, officials said.
The meeting is at 1:30 p.m. at Fire Department headquarters, 600 High St.
Moran, a 27-year veteran who became provisional chief in September, is under investigation after sources told The Republican and MassLive.com he was suspected of sending an engine company to a false call on June 15.
During the response around noon that day, several vehicles collided at Homestead Avenue and Pynchon Road when one vehicle failed to pull over for a fire truck, police said.
A driver of one of the cars was taken to Holyoke Medical Center, where she was treated and released.
State police are investigating whether there was criminal activity in relation to the incident, commission chairwoman Priscilla F. Chesky has said.
Hampden District Attorney Mark G. Mastroianni said Thursday the investigation is nearly complete and he expects to make an announcement of the findings by next week.
Jeffrey S. Morneau, Moran’s lawyer, said he spoke with Moran and neither Moran nor Morneau has been told about the emergency meeting of the Fire Commission.
“I figured they would wait until the district attorney concluded his investigation. I don’t think they can do anything until they give him a notice and a right to a hearing. ... They haven’t notified me and they haven’t sent him anything in writing” about the commission meeting, Morneau said.
The annual salary of a deputy chief is $68,775. The additional pay that comes with being provisional chief was unclear, but the budgeted amount for the chief’s salary is $95,873.
The mayor appoints the three-member Fire Commission. The commission has complete authority under the city charter to appoint the fire chief and hire, fire and discipline Fire Department employees.