Boston fire chief Steve Abraira under fire for his marathon bombing response

BOSTON Boston's fire chief is facing criticism from 13 of his deputies for the way he handled the Boston Marathon bombings.

The deputy chiefs said in a letter to Mayor Tom Menino dated April 26 that Chief Steve Abraira failed to assume command responsibility or show leadership when he showed up at the scene of the April 15 explosions that killed three.

The deputies said his response was the latest in a pattern of shirking responsibility during emergencies and shielding himself from accountability.

"You can unequivocally consider this letter a vote of no confidence in Chief Abraira," the deputy chiefs wrote, according to the Boston Globe.

"His justification for failing to take action is indefensible," the deputy chiefs added.

Abraira told the newspaper that the command staff had control of the scene when he arrived and he acted appropriately.

Fire Commissioner Roderick Fraser, while not addressing the letter, said he has confidence in his command staff.

A Menino spokeswoman says the mayor has confidence in Fraser's decisions.