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Firefighters Michael Cangro, Carlos Canizales, Kenneth P. Corrigan, Michael Kraus, Steven Longa, Thomas Martin, Michael Rawson, Jonathan Reitz and Sebastian Rollo went through background checks, psychological exams, physicals and drug screenings before accepting the offer, the article says.
They attended orientation on April 8 at the firehouse where they were fitted for gear, completed paperwork and got their badge numbers, the story says.
They were even told to leave their other jobs to start a new life as an Englewood City Firefighter, NorthJersey.com says.
But on April 11 -- four days before starting at the academy -- the men received an email from former City Manager Edward Hynes saying their offers were rescinded, according to their lawyer, Michael Prigoff.
The email cited budgetary issues and Hynes apologized for the "inconvenience." The men, however, suspect it was a racial issue.
Of the 15 new hires, 12 were non-residents and all of them were white, according to the report. Residents and "political associations" apparently complained.
City officials on Tuesday night passed an ordinance giving residents preference for hiring police officers and firefighters.
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