Eyewitness News has exclusively obtained surveillance video of the night of the incident.
The video was taken on the sidewalk on Third Avenue in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn, near the Salty Dog.
Just after 2:00 a.m. two people run down the street.
Around 2:30, you see three guys standing around. One swings his arm and throws his head back. He appears to be demonstrating punches thrown.
Punches were reportedly thrown inside of the Salty Dog that sent four men to the hospital.
"It's a beat down. What other opinion can I have, but it's wrong. Don't know what say. That's what happens when people get drunk," patron Billy Auletti said.
The fight started over a spilled drink at the popular firefighter hangout.
An attorney for the victims told Eyewitness News that his 21-year old client tried to apologize for drizzling his liquor on a member of the FDNY, but was hit in the face.
This incident allegedly was the beginning of a major beat down of the 21 year old and his three cousins. Their injuries include a broken shoulder, collarbone and eye orbit bone.
"It's a freak thing. There are firefighters here all of the time and nothing ever happens," Auletti said.
Two dozen firefighters from Engine Co. 310 and Ladder Co. 174 in East Flatbush and possibly some retired firefighters are under investigation by the FDNY and NYPD.
They had been reportedly drinking all night, after attending an annual event. Neighboring business owners say investigators confiscated surveillance video over the weekend, even though the fire commissioner claims to not know much.
"We know very little at this time. We do that there were firefighters. We do know that there was a brawl, but we don't know the particulars of it. That's not what firefighters do. We're here to help the public. That's our job," Commissioner Salvatore Cassano said.
Mayor Bloomberg said if theses firefighters did anything wrong, they will take action allowed under current contract. Neither agency answered specific questions. Mainly, if they are allowing these civil servants, who are supposed to be saving lives, to stay on the job after being accused of beating four innocent men.
