Why did the FBI visit a North Providence fire station twice?

North Providence Mayor Charlie Lombardi, Fire Chief John Horan, and firefighters’ union president Jay Petrillo all confirmed that FBI agents visited a fire station in town twice last week to ask about concrete work done at the station, but all of them said they don’t have more information about the investigation.

Lombardi said he was made aware by Horan that the FBI visited the fire station on Fruit Hill Avenue, and Horan said firefighters were asked about repairs done at the station a few years ago. Petrillo said he told his members to answer any questions the agents had, and then he informed Horan of the visit.

“They asked about work done to the station,” Petrillo said.

Lombardi, Horan, and Petrillo all said they haven’t spoken directly to anyone at the FBI. Kristen Setera, a spokeswoman for the FBI, said the agency couldn’t confirm or deny an investigation.

The bigger picture: Lombardi, a Democrat who has been mayor since 2007, said he wants to “wait to find out” what the FBI is investigating before commenting further.

The FBI visit, which was first reported by Channel 12, comes as the Lombardi administration braces for an explosive lawsuit that is expected to be filed against the town by Michael Charbatji, a former town employee who claimed in a demand letter that he was “ordered to report to various properties personally owned by Lombardi and [director of public buildings] James Fuoroli to do construction repairs.”

Lombardi remains a popular leader in town, but it’s unclear how many more terms the 78-year-old wants to serve as mayor. City Council President Dino Autiello has long been considered a favorite to succeed Lombardi as mayor, and he just announced that he doesn’t plan to run for the open state Senate seat that was held by Senate President Dominick Ruggerio before he died last month.

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