HAMILTON, Ohio (WKRC) - Hamilton City Fire Department released a report Monday detailing the events that led to the death of Hamilton firefighter Patrick Wolterman. The report was released more than three years after the incident.

The 63-page report blames Wolterman’s death on December 28, 2015, on several factors, including miscommunication and mistakes made in the field. It also made recommendations to correct those issues.

Wolterman was in service with the Hamilton Fire Department for just eight months when he made his way through the front door at the home at 1310 Pater Avenue and fell through the floor into the heart of the flames.

The lack of communication on that day played a role in the death, according to the report from Hamilton fire chief Mark Mercer. As firefighters arrived, the report states, “confirmation of fire conditions and fire location were not communicated” to all units.

The report also states that crews were using different radio frequencies.

“A few of the dispatched units had not acknowledged they were responding and were not yet monitoring [one of the frequencies being used that day],” according to the findings.

One of the factors was the fire, which was later deemed to be an act of arson itself. The report says the fire was “set using gasoline in the basement of the house” that was “hidden from normal view.”

The report states that one of the cellar doors on the outside of the home was left open and “a second cellar door was opened just before [Wolterman’s crew] forced open the front door.”

“This provided oxygen to the superheated and fuel rich smoke, creating an intense wind-driven fire,” the report stated.

The report also found that Wolterman, “did not turn his personal portable radio to the on position.” Wolterman entered the home after busting through the front door first, followed by his unit’s lieutenant. They immediately encountered “flames coming from the floor that became more intense.”

Wolterman fell through a hole in the floor. The lieutenant “screamed for [Wolterman]” but “received no response and could not hear [him] breathing.”

Because his radio wasn’t on, Wolterman “was unable to call for help or push the priority button,” which would have alerted crews where he was and that he was in trouble.

The fire he fell into was so intense, the report reveals it burned a hole in the one-and-three-quarters inch fire hose that Wolterman was using.

Tony Harris, president of the Hamilton Firefighters Union I.A.F.F. Local 20 criticized the report, saying it didn’t address the staffing cuts made to the department in 2013, which he says played a role in the response times.

“It wasn't a full and honest look at what happened that night,” said Harris. “We owe Patrick an honest and complete report that faces our issues head on and our people don't get to hide from the actions that night and the things we did. I was there that night. I don't get to hide from what happened and how it happened and thinking about what happened. So, we don't feel like anybody else should either."

Harris says the department is working to fix issues regarding training tactics, but the biggest danger facing the department is still and will be the lack of resources.

“We understand it's a risky job and there's no way to make it 100 percent safe. The biggest takeaway we have from this is the things we are still lacking in are making us more dangerous and less safe than we normally should be," he said.

The Hamilton Firefighters Union's response also focused on that the Rapid Assistance Team, which rescues downed firefighters, did not arrive on the scene until more than 10 minutes after it was dispatched. The RAT team arrived, Harris says, just 42 seconds before the mayday call was issued for Wolterman.

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