FIREFIGHTER SHOT BY OWN PISTOL TO BE DISCIPLINED

                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: THURSDAY, January 23, 1992                   TAG: 9201230119
SECTION: VIRGINIA                    PAGE: B3   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: Ron Brown
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Short
FIREFIGHTER SHOT BY OWN PISTOL TO BE DISCIPLINED
A Roanoke firefighter faces disciplinary action in an incident where he dropped a loaded pistol in a city fire station Monday and wounded himself in the ankle.
City Fire Chief Rawleigh Quarles would not specify what action would be taken against Lt. C.E. Wells. Quarles said the action is confidential because it is a personnel matter.
Wells will be disciplined in accordance with a city policy that prohibits "willful or negligent violation of safety rules," Quarles said.
Fire officials said Wells dropped a duffel bag containing a loaded pistol about 8 a.m. and shot a hole in his ankle. The bullet traveled upward and lodged in the ceiling of Fire Station No. 2 on Noble Avenue.
Quarles said the Fire Department will draft a policy banning firefighters from carrying guns.
"It is unfortunate that it took this act to make us aware that there was no policy prohibiting firearms in fire stations," he said.
Wells broke no city or state laws during the shooting, which has been ruled an accident by city police, Quarles said.
Wells, whose home number is unlisted, could not be reached for comment.

by Archana Subramaniam by CNB