Report: Ex-NJ Fire Chief's Certifications Lost by State

A New Jersey fire chief who resigned earlier this month amid accusations that he didn't have the proper qualifications actually did have the required certifications, an internal city review determined.

In fact, the confusion over the qualifications of former Sea Isle City Fire Chief Frank Edwardi Sr. arose because his certificates were lost by the state, which had sent a letter to city officials requesting Edwardi's removal, NJ Advance Media reports.

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The letter came after an investigation by the Department of Community Affairs Fire Safety Division found that Edwardi, as well as two other Sea Isle City Volunteer Fire Department officials, didn't have the needed qualifications for their jobs.That led to the resignations by all three at the beginning of July.

Following the resignations, Sea Isle City's review discovered that the certifications had been lost by the state, leading to the "mistaken conclusion" that Edwardi shouldn't be chief, according to NJ Advance Media. The news outlet's request for comments about the confusion was not immediately returned.

Edwardi had been a member of the fire department for more than 50 years and served as chief for eight. Because of health reasons, he hasn't been actively running the department, and an election for a new chief is set for November.