VIRGINIA GARDENS, Fla. – Two former Miami-Dade firefighters were booked into jail Friday morning on manslaughter and negligence charges in connection with the death of one of their sons during an unauthorized training exercise in the summer of 2024.
The incident occurred on June 21 at a three-story building in Virginia Gardens.
Francisco Camero, 48, was one of three Miami-Dade Fire Rescue employees who resigned in connection with the exercise that led to the death of his son, Fabian Camero, who worked at a private ambulance company.
The 28-year-old was critically injured during the exercise and died a day later after being rushed to the hospital.
Another former employee, ex-Lt. Rafael Fernandez, 52, was booked into jail just before noon.
Camero invited his sons, Fabian and Lorenzo, to join in the live-fire training “to obtain experience in fire rescue,” authorities said.
The training was part of a fellowship program, which took place at a building at 6596 NW 36th St., near the Miami International Airport. The training was conducted with international firefighters.
According to the arrest warrant, Camero, Fernandez and the other since-resigned MDFR employee, firefighter Steven Colon, 50, acquired the building informally for training purposes through a verbal agreement with its owner, who said he never authorized any live-fire exercises.
Live-fire exercises in acquired buildings were prohibited by MDFR policy, the warrant states. Authorities said the exercise was conducted with “modified metal barrels,” one of which contained x-ray films and wood and was placed in a closet.
Read the warrant:
“The investigation revealed that the materials used to fuel the fire in the smaller barrel were unidentified materials that exceeded the containment of the barrel,” the warrant states. “Additionally, the barrel was left unattended in close proximity to flammable elements within the closet, which contributed to the spread of the fire inside the structure.”
Investigators said no safety officer was assigned to oversee the training and Fabian Camero was given gear that was outdated and non-compliant with safety regulations, causing him to die of smoke inhalation after his self-contained breathing apparatus failed.
According to the warrant, the three since-resigned firefighters tried to cover up what happened and made false statements. When Fernandez called 911 to report the fire, he lied and said “everyone was safely out of the building,” detectives allege.
They said he later told responding firefighters that there were actually two people trapped inside, including 40-year-old Natalia Contreras, who was filming the training and not wearing protective gear. Authorities said Fernandez and Colon both denied that anyone was filming the training, but she came forward and provided footage that would prove valuable in the ensuing investigation.
It’s not clear whether Colon will face any charges.
Bonds for both Camero and Fernandez were listed as “to be set” in Miami-Dade jail records. They were being held in the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center as of Friday afternoon.