Trendpills
Two former Miami-Dade firefighters have pleaded not guilty to manslaughter and negligence charges following the death of one of their sons during an unsanctioned training session in 2024. The men, Francisco Camero, 48, and former Lt. Rafael Fernandez, 52, entered their pleas in a Miami-Dade court, setting the stage for a trial over the tragic incident that has shaken the local fire service community.
The case stems from a fire on June 21, 2024, at a vacant three-story building in Virginia Gardens. Fabian Camero, 28, the son of Francisco Camero and an employee at a private ambulance company, died from injuries sustained in the blaze. Prosecutors and county officials maintain the event was an unauthorized training exercise that led to a fatality. According to official reports, the building's owner had only given verbal permission for "non-destructive" training activities. The situation escalated into a live-fire drill without the proper authorization or safety protocols required by Miami-Dade Fire Rescue (MDFR).
In the months following the incident, an internal MDFR investigation was launched. By October 2024, Camero, Fernandez, and a third firefighter, Steven Colon, had resigned from their positions amid the ongoing investigation. The probe culminated in the arrests of Camero and Fernandez in February 2025. Further reports allege a potential cover-up attempt, with one of the men reportedly placing a 911 call to falsely state everyone was safely out of the building before later admitting two people remained trapped inside.
The two former public servants now face serious legal consequences after they pleaded not guilty to the manslaughter charges in March. James Reyes, Miami-Dade County's Chief of Public Safety, has publicly affirmed that the exercise was not sanctioned by the department in any capacity. The case has raised significant questions about oversight, accountability, and the protocols for live-fire training, highlighting the catastrophic dangers of unsanctioned drills. The legal proceedings will continue to unfold in the coming months.
