So why didn't they bring the firefighters in on the decisionmaking?

This wasn't just a bunch of hotheaded young lads - look at the people arrested - "senior firemen, including a captain, a retired captain, a fire marshall and a lieutenant". These were people who know a lot about dealing with disaster sites, and coping with traumatised survivors.

I'd like to believe it was all about safety and so forth. It seems to me more likely that saving money and getting ahead with redevelopment was probably more central.

If there's a clash of opinions here, I'd sooner trust the opinions of the firemen.