Houston's Line of
Duty Firefighters
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John
Benjamin “Red” Adams
Born: February 25, 1899, in Lola, Texas
Died: March 7, 1948, at age 49
29th
HFD Line of Duty Death
Entered the Fire Department:
January 22, 1941
Assignment:
Pipe and Ladderman-Fire House No. 18
Buried: Forest Park Cemetery, Lawndale, Section 24, Plot 345,
Space 7
John Adams died of a heart attack at the scene of a house
fire at 2840 Lidstone Street near Old Spanish Trail. His crew found him on
the ground next to Engine 18. Having suffered a heart attack, attempts by
the Harris County Emergency Corps to revive him were unsuccessful. A
physician who lived in the neighborhood pronounced him deceased.
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Steve Charlie Baranowski
Born:
July 9, 1907, in Chappell Hill, Texas
Died:
February 3, 1969, at age 61
46th
HFD
Line of Duty Death
Entered the Fire Department: December 11, 1941
Assignment: Captain-Fire House No. 37
Buried:
Forest Park Cemetery, Westheimer, Section 502, Plot 168,
Space 2
Steve Baranowski, a twenty eight year veteran, died of a heart attack
at the scene of a house fire at 3931 Underwood Street and Stella Link Road.
Captain Captain Baranowski and his crew were on the roof pulling off shingles when
he became unconscious. His crew attempted to save him with a new life saving
technique called “CPR”. He was transported to Methodist Hospital where he
was pronounced on arrival.
Steve is survived by his three daughters, Francis, Floralee, and Mary.
His wife of twenty years, died February 7, 1959.
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Dwight Wayne “Bebe”
Bazile
Born:
June 14, 1958, in Houston, Texas
Died:
February 21, 2015, at age 56|
69th
HFD
Line of Duty Death
Entered the Fire Department: October 24, 1977, Class 77A
Assignment: Captain-Fire House No. 46 “D” Shift
Buried:
Brookside Memorial Park Cemetery, Section 52, Lot HE 8
Captain
Bazile, a thirty seven year veteran, died after fighting a duplex fire at 6335 England
Street at Cosby Street. He suffered a cardiac arrest and was transported to
Memorial Hermann Hospital where two days later he lost his fight for life.
Captain Bazile was a founding member of the Houston Black Fire Fighters’
Association.
Dwight is survived by his wife of thirty years, Pamela Bazile and
his son Dwight Bazile II.
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Robert Ryan “Bobby” Bebee
Born:
January
14, 1972, in Corpus Christi, Texas
Died: May 31, 2013, at age
41
66th
HFD
Line of Duty Death
Entered the Fire Department: June 20, 2002, Class 7 2001
Assignment: Engineer-Operator-Fire House
No. 51 "A" Shift
Buried: South Park
Cemetery, Section A, Lot 29, Space 2
Bobby Bebee, died along with Matt Renaud,
Robert Garner and Anne Sullivan while fighting a fire at the Southwest Inn,
6855 Southwest Freeway at Hornwood Drive. The fire started in the Bhojan
Indian Restaurant, which was in the front of the motel complex. Just fifteen
minutes after crews arrived, the roof collapsed, trapping five firefighters.
Before the rescuers were able to reach the firefighters, a second ceiling
collapsed, trapping all of the rescuers. They were able to escape the
collapse along with Captain Dowling, one of the five trapped firefighters.
Bobby’s compassion and commitment to the
community extended well beyond the fire service through his work helping
homeless citizens and animals.
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George
LaSalle Bishop
Born:
April 4, 1884, in Houston, Texas
Died:
March 1, 1926, at age 41
14th
HFD
Line of Duty Death
Entered the Fire Department:
1916
Assignment: Captain-Engine Company No. 4
Buried:
Forest Park Cemetery, Lawndale, Section J,
Plot 128, Space 2
On Sunday, February 28, 1926, Captain Bishop’s crew responded
to a two story vacant house fire at 2707 Grant Street near Westheimer Road.
On arrival the structure was heavily involved. Captain Bishop led his crew
up the rear outside staircase. Once they reached the second floor porch, the
chimney collapsed and fell on to the porch. The impact ripped the porch away
from the house, throwing the men to the ground. A large number of bricks and
debris fell on Captain Bishop, severely injuring him.
Captain Bishop was transported to Jefferson Davis Hospital
where he died at 7:20am the following morning.
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John
Andrew “Bob” Boyd
Born:
November 3,
1870, in Galveston, Texas
Died:
August 4, 1923, at age 52
12th
HFD
Line of Duty Death
Entered the Fire Department: September 21, 1895
Assignment: First Assistant Chief-Central Fire Station
Buried:
Holy Cross Cemetery, Section H, Plot 71,
Space 6
Chief Boyd died when Chemical Truck 1 responded to a reported
house fire.
The apparatus was attempting to avoid a collision with a passenger car and
struck a
telephone pole at the intersection of Congress Street and Hamilton
Street. Chief Boyd was transported to St. Joseph’s Infirmary where he died
several hours after arrival. Two of the three firefighters on the truck were
injured, they also were taken to St. Joseph’s Infirmary. Frank Haynes, the
driver of the passenger car was later charged with negligent homicide.
Bob Boyd began his career as a paid driver with the Volunteer
Stonewall Hose Company No. 3. He held this position from 1892 to 1895.
In September 1895 he became one of the first paid Houston Firefighters.
He left the fire service in 1919 to serve as a trainman on the
Southern Pacific Railroad. In May of 1923, Fire Chief Cornelius “Roxy”
Ollre became angry with the two current Assistant Chiefs, both of them
were demoted. He contacted Boyd and convinced him to return to his
previous position of First Assistant Chief. He died just three months
after he returned to the ranks of the Houston Fire Department.
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Lemuel
Delray "DJ" Bruce
Born:
August 23, 1976, in Houston, Texas
Died:
October 16, 2020 at age 44
76th
HFD Line of Duty Death
Entered the Houston Fire Department:
April 1, 2004, Class 1 2003
Assignment: Investigator-Arson Division
Buried: Klein Memorial Park, Magnolia, Texas, Section A, Lot 471, Space 2
Investigator Bruce was conducting surveillance during an arson
investigation in the 2100 block of West 18th Street around 0330 hours when
he got into a confrontation with a suspect where they exchanged gunfire. The
suspect died at the scene. About an hour later, DJ, shot three times, died
from his injuries at Memorial Hermann Hospital. His squad was investigating
a string of recent arsons in the area.
DJ is the Houston Fire
Department's first Arson Investigator to die in the line of duty.
DJ grew up in north Houston, was a dedicated Boy Scout, and
graduated from Klein Oak High School in 1995. After high school DJ
enlisted in the United States Marine Corps, where he served honorably
for five years. He was one of the youngest Black Hawk helicopter crew
chiefs in the history of the Marine Corps. He later served in the Army
National Guard.
Many of his friends have said “Life is Better
with Bruce”.
He is survived by Rachel, his wife of fifteen years, and his two
young
children, Sydney and Grayson.
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Grady Don Burke
Born:
January 31, 1966, in Houston, Texas
Died:
February 19, 2005, at age 39
59th
HFD
Line of Duty Death
Entered the Fire Department: March 3, 1993, Class 93B
Assignment: Captain-Fire House No. 46 “B” Shift
Buried:
Forest Park East Cemetery, Webster, Texas, Section 216B,
Lot 4, Space 2
Captain Burke, a twelve year veteran, died while fighting a
vacant house fire at 8510 Brandon Street near Bellfort Avenue. The vacant
house was entered by a vagrant who started a fire for heat and illumination
while he was doing drugs. When the fire got out of control, he exited the
house and boarded a Metro Bus. The roof collapsed almost immediately as
Captain Burke and his crew entered the structure. Two crew members narrowly
escaped through a window. Six firefighters were injured and transported to
Hermann Hospital. The man that started the fire was caught and pled guilty
to manslaughter and was sentenced to twelve years in prison.
Grady
is survived by his wife of twelve year, Cindy. They were blessed with three
children, Hannah, Hailey and Hunter. At the time of Grady's death they
were ages, ten, eight and seven.
Before becoming a member of the Houston Fire Department,
Grady was in the ranks of the Texas City Fire Department for four years.
In 2004 Grady was awarded the Unit Valor award along with his
crew for saving an 80 year old woman from her burning apartment.
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Frank Catino
Born:
February 10, 1892, on a boat from Sicily, Italy
Died: January 7, 1954, at age 61
37th
HFD
Line of Duty Death
Entered the Fire Department:
May 15, 1911
Assignment:
Pipe and Ladderman-Central Fire Station
Buried:
Forest Park Cemetery, Lawndale, Gethsemane 55, Plot 1232, Space 11
Frank was born Angelo Cortimeglia. When he joined the
department at age nineteen, Fire Chief Reginald “Kid” Ollre decided that his name
was too hard for anyone to pronounce, he changed his name to Frank Catino.
Frank, a forty two year veteran died while responding to an alarm transmitted by
the fire alarm box at Gable Street and MKT Railroad. Ladder 1 collided with
a passenger car at Preston Street and Crawford Street. The car was occupied
by two nineteen year old men who were being chased by the police, both died at the
scene. Four members of the crew were sent to Jefferson Davis Hospital and
were treated and released. Frank was transported to St. Joseph Hospital
where he was pronounced on arrival.
On July 29, 1953 Frank was injured at the same intersection, while
responding to an alarm from the same fire alarm box, Gable Street and MKT
Railroad. This is where Joseph Solito and Fidel Chabolla died. The same
building on the corner, the Southern Electric Supply Company at 1605 Preston
Street was damaged in both accidents. The
“Houston Chronicle” dubbed it the “Death Corner”.
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Fidel Chabolla
Born:
April 24, 1918, in Moore, Texas
Died:
July 29, 1953, at age 35
35th
HFD Line of Duty Death
Entered the Fire Department:
October 4, 1951
Assignment: Pipe and Ladderman-Central Fire Station
Buried: Forest Park Cemetery, Lawndale, Gethsemane 54, Plot
847, Space 5
Fidel Chabolla, died with Joe Solito, in a collision between
Engine 8 and Ladder 1. The fire alarm box at Gable Street and MKT Railroad
transmitted an alarm. Events led to the collision of these two apparatus at
the intersection of Preston Street and Crawford Street. Engine 10 was the
first due company; they were on another assignment and were replaced by
Engine 8. Ladder 1 had trouble starting and was delayed leaving quarters.
This put both trucks in the intersection at the same time. Seven
firefighters were injured in the accident. Chabolla was transported to
Jefferson Davis Hospital where efforts to save him failed.
This is the same intersection where Frank Catino died five months later
on January 7, 1954. The same building on the corner, the Southern Electric
Supply Company at 1605 Preston Street was damaged in both accidents. The “Houston
Chronicle” dubbed it the “Death Corner”.
Fidel was drafted into the United States Army, September 29, 1941. He
served with 35th
Anti-Aircraft Artillery Brigade until his discharge December 5, 1945.
Fidel had recently returned from a three month leave of absence.
He and
Lucette,
his war-time bride visited her native France.
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Doyle Hubert "Jim" Chandler, Jr.
Born:
December 13, 1932, in Rusk, Texas
Died: November 9, 1959, at age 26
42nd
HFD
Line of Duty Death
Entered the Fire Department:
July 1, 1958
Assignment: Pipe and Ladderman-Fire House No. 19
Buried: Lyles-Sanders
Cemetery, Cushing, Texas, Plot 325
Doyle
and his crew responded to the Hess Terminal on Federal Road for a fire on
board the “Amoco Virginia”. The 150,000-gallon tanker was in the process of
loading a cargo of aviation fuel. A worker loading the ship did not realize
there was a small hole in the hose leaking fuel into the water below. A
lantern on a
passing tugboat ignited the fuel, causing an explosion and fire that took
sixteen
hours and 500 firefighters to control. Seven men on the ship perished and
forty
workers, including several firefighters, were injured.
During the cleanup process, the mangled deck was coated with firefighting
foam, Chandler fell through a large gaping hole in the deck and drowned in
gasoline in the ship’s hold. He was a diver in the United States Navy but
did not survive due to the lack of buoyancy of the gasoline.
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Joseph
Earl
“Bull” Connor
Born:
April 18, 1900, in
Houston, Texas
Died: January 31, 1951, at age 50
32nd
HFD Line of Duty Death
Entered the Fire Department:
June 16, 1924
Assignment:
Driver-Central Fire Station
Buried:
Forest Park Cemetery, Lawndale, Gethsemane 55, Plot 257,
Space 1
Joseph Connor, a 27 year
veteran, suffered a heart attack while fighting a multiple alarm fire on
January 31, 1951. Connor was driving Water Tower 1, and had finished getting
the kinks out of the supply hoses when he fell against the apparatus.
He
was transported to Jefferson Davis Hospital where he was pronounced on
arrival.
The fire involved the Alaskan
Fur Factory at 600 Main Street and Texas Avenue and two other business, the
National Shirt Shop and Shaw’s Jewelry Store. All three businesses were
heavily damaged.
This fire was especially
difficult due to the freezing, icy weather which kept the smoke close to the
ground.
The fire was also
responsible for the death of Captain Templet.
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Doninic Joseph “Don” Contorno
Born:
March 12, 1911, in Houston, Texas
Died: May 21, 1962, at age 51
44th
HFD
Line of Duty Death
Entered the Fire Department:
December 16, 1941
Assignment:
Pipe and Ladderman-Fire House No. 37
Buried:
Forest Park Cemetery, Lawndale, Gethsemane 55, Plot 1099, Space
4
Don Contorno, a twenty one year veteran, suffered a massive heart
attack while fighting a two alarm fire at the Wanda Petroleum Company on
Almeda Genoa Road. The combination of the heat of the day and the physical
excretion proved to be too much for Don’s heart.
He was transported to St. Joseph
Hospital where the doctors knew he was in serious condition. They were in
disbelief how the heart attack did not kill him instantly. Don had a wife
and a young son at home and a very strong will to live that kept him alive
for ninteen days.
Dom is survived by his wife, Jane, they were married for twenty five years.
They had one son, Donald Gene who was twenty one years old at the time of
his father’s
death.
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Thomas Norwood "Tom" Cooper
Born:
February 17, 1959, in Pine Bluff, Arkansas
Died: September 23, 1982, at age 23
51st
HFD Line of Duty Death
Entered the Fire Department:
February 8, 1982, Class 82A
Assignment: Pipe and Ladderman-Fire House No. 1 “C” Shift
Buried: Memorial Oaks Cemetery, Section 2, Plot 69, Space 6
Thomas Cooper was critically injured after falling off the
tailboard of Engine 1 while responding to a trash fire. Cooper was training
with his crew on different types hose lays when they were dispatched. The
rolled hoses used in the drill were placed on the tailboard where he was
riding. As Engine 1 turned the corner at Hamilton Street and Congress
Avenue, one of the rolled hoses fell off the back of the apparatus. Tom fell
off the tailboard while trying to stop the falling hose and hit his head on
the curb. The driver and captain did not know he had fallen. A city
electrician saw the accident and stopped to help and report the accident.
Ambulance 1101 transported him to Hermann Hospital where he died two days
later.
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Harold Albert Denny
Born: September 6, 1905, in Houston, Texas
Died:
May 1, 1924, at age 18
13th
HFD
Line of Duty Death
Entered the Fire Department: 1924
Assignment: Pipe and Ladderman-Fire House No. 9
Buried:
Washington Cemetery (Glenwood Cemetery), Section D, Lot 44, Space 4
Harold Denny, very new to the department, died when Engine 9
collided with a streetcar while responding to a fire at the Blue Front
Boarding House located at 404½ Milam Street and Preston Street. At the time
of the alarm, Harold was not on duty but was bringing bed sheets to his
brother-in-law, John S. Little Sr. who was the Captain at Fire House No. 9.
When the fire call came in, he responded with the crew. The driver of Engine
9 used the North Main Via Duct and as they exited the north end, a street
car hit them, Denny died instantly, one crew member was injured.
Harold’s brother-in-law died in the Line of Duty 5 years
after his death. Captain Little died on July 11, 1929.
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Thomas William "Bill" Dillion
Born:
March 25, 1962, in Houston, Texas
Died: March 14, 2012, at age 49
63rd
HFD
Line of Duty Death
Entered the Fire Department: June 5, 1989, Class 89C
Assignment: Senior Captain-Fire House No. 69 “B” Shift
Buried: Memorial Oaks Cemetery, Morning Tide, Section 303, Lot
16, Space 5
Senior Captain Dillion, a 23 year veteran, suffered a heart
attack at a fire in the Jadestone Apartments, 7520 Cook Road near Winding
Passage Street. After the fire was under control, he began experiencing
chest pains and collapsed. Firefighters performed CPR and he was
transported to West Houston Medical Center where efforts to revive him
failed. At the time of the incident he was working at Fire House 76.
Bill is survived by his two sons, David and Matt and daughter Katelyn.
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Harry
Dodd
Born:
November 17, 1883, in Kinney, Texas
Died:
July 26, 1923, at age 39
11th
HFD
Line of Duty Death
Entered the Fire Department: January 1, 1921
Assignment: Pipe and Ladderman-Central Fire Station
Buried:
Hempstead Cemetery, Hempstead, Texas, Located in the Dodd Family Plot
Harry Dodd died when Hook and Ladder 1 responded to a house
fire at 1315 Shaw Street and Andrews Street. The fire apparatus was involved
in an accident at the intersection of Dallas Street and Milam Street. A
doctor, who was rushing to take care of a patient, entered the intersection
at the same time as Hook and Ladder 1. The two vehicles hit with such force
that the ladder truck was pushed into the Chapman Street Trolley that was
stopped waiting for the fire truck to clear the intersection. Several his
crew members and four civilians were injured in the collision. Harry died at
the scene.
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Vernon John Dorsett
Born:
November 15, 1902, in Nacogdoches, Texas
Died: January 21, 1949, at age 46
30th
HFD Line of Duty Death
Entered the Fire Department:
December 5, 1919
Assignment:
Assistant Chief-Central Fire Station
Buried: Rosewood Cemetery, Section 20, Plot 81, Space 6
Chief Vernon Dorsett, a
thirty year veteran, died when his
chief’s car collided with a passenger vehicle after being dispatched to a
fire at the Hub Lumber Company, 5519 Lawndale Street and Hub Street. His car
slid on wet pavement at the intersection of Harrisburg Boulevard at Linwood
Street. The chief’s car collided with a passenger car carrying a mother, her
eighteen month old son and her twelve year old daughter, on their way to school. All
three received minor cuts and bruises. Chief Dorsett died instantly. Chief
Dorsett’s driver, Captain Walter Dudensing, was seriously injured.
Chief Dorsett’s daughter, Barbara was due to be married in Freeport that
evening. Vernon was planning to get off duty early to drive her to her
wedding. Barbara and her fiancé were married two weeks
later.
Chief Dorsett is survived by Glennie, his wife of twenty seven years.
They had two daughters, Charlotte and Barbara. They were
nineteen and seventeen at the time of their father’s death.
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William Ross “Iron Bill”Dowling
Born: March
14, 1973, in Albuquerque, New Mexico
Died:
March 7, 2017, at age 43
71st
HFD Line of Duty Death
Entered the Houston Fire Department:
March 21, 2000, Class 1 2000
Assignment: Captain-Fire House No. 68 “A” Shift
Buried:
Wellborn Cemetery, College Station, Texas, Plot DD 54
Bill Dowling was a man of courage and service
to others. He graduated in 1993 from Klein Oak High School. Soon after, he
joined the United States Marine Corps, only after convincing his recruiter
that he would succeed as a member. When he fulfilled his commitment to the
Corps, he continued his quest to serve others as a member of the Houston
Fire Department.
On May 31, 2013 Captain Dowling was seriously injured while leading his crew
during the Southwest Inn Fire. The fire started in the Bhojan Indian
Restaurant, which was in the front of the motel complex. During the fire,
the roof collapsed, trapping him and four crew members. Captain Dowling was
the only firefighter rescued from the collapsed building.
He was transported to Memorial Hermann Hospital where he was treated for
his injuries and fought to stay alive. During his fight for his life, he was
given the nickname, “Iron Bill”, for his relentless efforts to heal and
return home to his family. “Iron Bill” succumbed to his injuries almost four
years later.
Bill is survived by his soulmate Jacki, and his three children,
Forrest, Faith and Foster.
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Claud William
Edmonds
Born: September 25, 1894, in Scooba, Mississippi
Died:
August 19, 1926, at age 31
15th
HFD
Line of Duty Death
Entered the Fire Department:
December 16, 1916
Assignment:
Captain-Central Fire Station
Buried: Forest
Park Cemetery, Lawndale, Section I, Plot 181, Space 2
Captain Edmonds, a ten year veteran, was training with his
crew on Ladder 1, an 85 foot aerial. The exercise consisted of the crew
climbing the ladder and descending the backside. As Captain Edmonds reached
the top and was climbing over, the ladder began swaying from the wind and
cracked below him and landed on the power lines for the trolley cars on
Preston Street. Captain Edmonds, seriously injured, was taken to the St.
Joseph Infirmary where he died a short time later.
Tom Powers, early into his career, was climbing the ladder just below
Captain Edmonds. The ladder broke right above Tom, and he was not injured. He went on to serve the citizens of Houston for fifty years.
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