A black volunteer firefighter in upstate New York lost his home in a fire two days after receiving a racist letter threatening him and his family.
Kenneth Walker – the only black person serving in the Gratwick Hose volunteer fire department – was at work when flames broke out in his apartment of two years on Wednesday afternoon. His wife, Amanda, and two children were also away during the fire.
Other tenants were reportedly in the building at the time, but were alerted by fire alarms and escaped to safety. The Walker family’s two cats did not survive the blaze.
Mr Walker, 28, received a racist letter on Monday telling him to resign from the volunteer service “or you will regret it”, WGRZ reported.
“N***ers are not allowed to be firefighters,” the letter said. “No one wants you in this city. You have until the end of the week to resign your position or you will regret it.”
Ms Walker told Buffalo News that she believed the fire was in retaliation for her husband’s refusal to resign from the service.
Authorities have not confirmed a link between the letter and the fire as of this writing.
“The fire is under investigation. That’s all I can say,” said North Tonawanda Fire Chief Joseph Sikora. “We called in the New York State Office of Fire Prevention and Control for a couple more investigators to make sure we cover everything.”
North Tonawanda Mayor Arthur G Pappas called the incidents “distasteful” and “hateful”, and said local police were investigating alongside the FBI.
“[Resigning] from the fire department would obviously please them and I don’t want to please them,” Mr Walker said. “At the same time I am going to do what I have to do to protect my family. I am still going to live my life.
