Widow files wrongful death lawsuit against Riviera Beach over canal rescue
Widow files wrongful death lawsuit against Riviera Beach over canal rescue
RIVIERA BEACH, Fla. —
A wrongful death lawsuit has been filed against the city of Riviera Beach, alleging that critical mistakes made by firefighters during a canal rescue led to the death of Heath Thomas.
The lawsuit, filed this afternoon by Thomas’ widow, Gia Thomas, claims that her husband was still alive in a vehicle that was “floating, stable, and not actively sinking” when firefighters arrived at the scene. However, the suit alleges that after crews broke into the SUV, “the vehicle began to sink and quickly submerged.”
The lawsuit describes Thomas’ death as preventable and accuses the city of failures in training, equipment provided, and command decisions made during the rescue.
The plaintiffs’ attorneys also pointed to findings first exposed in WPBF 25 Investigates’ report last November, which included violations of safety protocols during the rescue and failures in operating guidelines made by the assistant fire chief who was present and in charge at the scene.
