Firefighter Suspended After Arrest On Charges Of Sexual Assault
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -- A Pittsburgh firefighter was suspended on Wednesday after being accused of sexually assaulting a child.
Firefighter Martin Flora is now in the Allegheny County Jail facing multiple charges involving two children.
The allegations - ranging from indecent assault, aggravated assault, corruption of minors and endangering the welfare of a child - has sent shock waves through the fire department.
KDKA's Marty Griffin talked with Pittsburgh Fire Bureau Chief Darryl Jones.
"You just don't do this, no matter who you are, you just don't hurt children," said Chief Jones.
The visibly shaken fire chief is floored by the allegations against Flora.
According to the criminal complaint, a 14-year-old girl told police she was molested when she was 9-years-old.
The criminal complaint reports a second complaint - filed by a woman who is now 22-years-old - told investigators Flora allegedly molested her when she was 11- or 12-years-old.
According to the complaint, Flora told the victim "if she said anything he would kill her."
According to the complaint, Flora also told the victim "our business is our business."
"As a father, as a citizen, as chief of this bureau, if you look you notice the emblem on my shoulder - that's supposed to represent something, that's supposed to represent sanctuary, that's supposed to represent safety," said Chief Jones. "Not the emblem doesn't create the person wearing the uniform, it's the people in the uniform that create the emblem."
Flora, 48, has been suspended without pay. He has been a firefighter for nearly 15 years.
He works at Station 29 near Noblestown Road.
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