Ex Firefighters Arrested after Fatal Virginia Gardens Fire

According to local news reports, two former fire fighters were arrested today after a fatal fire at a Virginia Gardens office building left one man dead.

Timeline:

JUNE 2024
Back in June we shared details about the fatal fire at a vacant Virginia Gardens office building that left one man dead.

The fire was part of a training exercise gone wrong. That fire left 28 year old Fabian Camero dead.

28 Year Old Dead from Friday’s VG Fire

NOVEMBER 2024
Then in November, we shared reports that three Miami-Dade Fire Rescue employees had resigned.  That included the victim’s father.

After Fatal Fire in VG, 3 Fire Fighters Resign as Investigation Continues

Now, two men have been arrested:

Francisco Antonio Camero, the victim’s father, was charged with Manslaughter, exposing someone to personal injury and inflicting personal injury with culpable negligence.

Jail Number	Booking Name	Booking Date	Race	Sex	Hair	Eye	Weight	Height	IDS	Location
	250126651	CAMERO, FRANCISCO ANTONIO	02/21/2025 10:02	W	M	BLK	BRO	145 Lbs	5′ 8″	372603	TGKCC
Case(s) Information Case Number: F25003654 Charge: MANSLAUGHTER Bond: TO BE SET ** Charge: CULPABLE NEGLIGENCE/ EXPOSE TO PERSONAL INJURY Bond: $ 150 ** Charge: CULPABLE NEGLIGENCE/ INFLICT PERSONAL INJURY Bond: $ 1000 ** Bond Information Charge Satisfied: No Bond Submitted: ** Bond information posted on this case/charge may not reflect the current amount. Call the detention facility for updated information.

Rafael Ernesto Fernandez, who had also retired from the department, was also charged with Manslaughter, exposing someone to personal injury and inflicting personal injury with culpable negligence.

Jail Number	Booking Name	Booking Date	Race	Sex	Hair	Eye	Weight	Height	IDS	Location
	250126662	FERNANDEZ, RAFAEL ERNESTO	02/21/2025 11:58	W	M	BRO	BRO	220 Lbs	6′ 1″	397569	TGKCC
Case(s) Information Case Number: F25003660 Charge: MANSLAUGHTER Bond: TO BE SET ** Charge: CULPABLE NEGLIGENCE/ EXPOSE TO PERSONAL INJURY Bond: $ 150 ** Charge: CULPABLE NEGLIGENCE/ INFLICT PERSONAL INJURY Bond: $ 1000 ** Bond Information Charge Satisfied: No Bond Submitted: ** Bond information posted on this case/charge may not reflect the current amount. Call the detention facility for updated information.

At the end of the day, this is a sad and tragic event.  A young man died. The father lost his son.  Now the father has been arrested.  And another fire fighter has been arrested.

As you might imagine, this has devastated the lives of multiple families.