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 HFD: 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 located at 2840 Lidstone Street and 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.

John was survived by his wife Pearl, their daughter Vera, and three sons, Wilfred, John, and James.

Steve Charlie"Steve" Baranowski

Born: July 9, 1907, in Chappell Hill, Texas
Died: February 3, 1969, at age 61
46th HFD Line of Duty Death
Entered the HFD: December 11, 1941
Assignment: Captain-Fire House No. 37
Buried: Forest Park Cemetery, Westheimer, Section 502, Plot 168, Space 2

Captain Baranowski, a twenty-eight-year veteran, died of a heart attack at the scene of a house fire located at 3931 Underwood Street and Stella Link Road. 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.” Steve was transported to Methodist Hospital where he was pronounced deceased.

Steve was survived Nancy, his wife of forty years and three daughters, Francis, Flora Lee, and Mary Louise.

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 HFD: 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 located at 6335 England Street and Cosby Street. He suffered a cardiac arrest and was transported to Memorial Hermann Hospital where two days later he lost his life.

Dwight attended Forest Brook High School in Houston, Texas where he graduated in 1976. Afterwards he entered the Houston Fire Academy and graduated in 1978 and this is where his career started with the Houston Fire Department. Dwight was one of the founding members of the Houston Chapter of the Black Fire Fighters Association. He also studied and became a Licensed Vocational Nurse and was a mentor to many who came after him. Captain Bazile was a trail blazer at Fire Station 46 located in the southeast area of the city.

Dwight was survived by his wife of thirty years, Pamela Bazile and son Dwight Bazile II.

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 HFD: 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.

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 HFD: 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 and Westheimer Road. On arrival, the structure was heavily involved. Captain Bishop led his crew up the rear outside staircase. Once they reached the porch on the second
floor, the chimney collapsed and fell into 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 7:20 a.m. the following morning.

George was survived by his wife, Doria of eight years.

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 HFD: 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 and were also 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 Houston 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, and demoted both of them. 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.

L. 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 HFD: 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 and exchanged gunfire. The suspect died at the scene. About an hour later, DJ, shot three times, died from his injuries at Memorial Hermann Hospital. DJ is the Houston Fire Department's first Arson Investigator to die in the line of duty.

DJ grew up in north Houston; he 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.

He was survived by Rachel, his wife of fifteen years, and his two young children, Sydney and Grayson.

Many of his friends have said “Life is Better with Bruce.”

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 HFD: 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

Grady Burke, a twelve-year veteran, died while fighting a fire in a vacant house located at 8510 Brandon Street and Bellfort Avenue. The vacant house was entered by a vagrant who started a fire for heat and illumination. When the fire got out of control, he exited the house and boarded a Metro Bus. The alert bus driver saw him leave the smoking house and called 911.

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 Memorial Hermann Hospital. The man that started the fire was caught, pled guilty to manslaughter and was sentenced to twelve years in prison.

Grady was a member of the Texas City Fire Department for four years before he joined the ranks of the Houston Fire Department.

In 2004 Captain Burke was awarded the Unit Valor award along with his crew for saving an eighty-year-old woman from her burning apartment.

Grady was survived by his wife of twelve years, 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.

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 HFD: 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, so 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 of whom died at the scene. Four members of the crew were sent to Jefferson Davis Hospital and were treated and released. Frank succumbed to his injuries prior to arrival at St. Joseph Hospital.

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.”

Fidel Chabolla

Born: April 24, 1918, in Moore, Texas

Died: July 29, 1953, at age 35

35th HFD Line of Duty Death
Entered the HFD: October 4, 1951

Assignment: Pipe and Ladderman-Central Fire Station

Buried: Forest Park Cemetery, Lawndale, Gethsemane 54, Plot 847, Space 5

Fidel Chabolla, died along 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 which led to the collision of these two apparatus at the intersection of Preston Street and Crawford Street. Engine 10, the first due company, was on another assignment and 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. Fidel 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 were he and Lucette, his war-time bride visited her native France.

D. H. "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 HFD: July 1, 1958

Assignment: Pipe and Ladderman-Fire House No. 19

Buried: Lyles-Sanders Cemetery, Cushing, Texas, Plot 325

D. H. 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 five hundred 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 contents of 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 fuel.

D. H. enlisted in the United Naval Reserves August 26, 1951 and was discharged August 15, 1959.

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 HFD: June 16, 1924

Assignment: Driver-Central Fire Station

Buried: Forest Park Cemetery, Lawndale, Gethsemane 55, Plot 257, Space 1

Joseph Connor, a soft-spoken man truly dedicated to his job, suffered a fatal heart attack while fighting a multiple alarm fire on January 31, 1951. Connor, who was driving Water Tower 1, had just 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 deceased on arrival.

The fire involved the Alaskan Fur Factory located at 600 Main Street and Texas Avenue and two other businesses, 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.

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 HFD: 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.

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 HFD: 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.

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 HFD: 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 Viaduct, and as they exited the north end, a streetcar hit them, Denny died instantly, one crew member was injured.

Harold’s brother-in-law, Captain Little died in the line of duty five years later on July 11, 1929.

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 HFD: 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 suffered a heart attack at a fire in the Jadestone Apartments, 7520 Cook Road and 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 No. 76.

Bill was survived by his two sons, David and Matt, and daughter Katelyn.

Harry Dodd

Born: November 17, 1883, in Kinney, Texas
Died: July 26, 1923, at age 39
11th HFD Line of Duty Death
Entered the HFD: 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 located 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 of his crew members and four civilians were injured in the collision. Harry died at the scene.

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 HFD: December 5, 1919

Assignment: Assistant Chief-Central Fire Station

Buried: Rosewood Cemetery, Section 20, Plot 81, Space 6

Chief Vernon Dorsett, with thirty years in the department, died in a vehicle collision after being dispatched to a fire at the Hub Lumber Company, located at 5519 Lawndale Street and Hub Street. The Chief’s car slid on wet pavement at the intersection of Harrisburg Boulevard at Linwood Street and 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, and his 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 was survived by Glennie, his wife of twenty-seven years, and their two daughters, Charlotte age nineteen, and Barbara age seventeen.

Vernon Dorsett was a well-respected officer and known as a "Fireman’s Fireman."

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 HFD: 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 was survived by his soulmate Jacki, and his three children, Forrest, Faith and Foster.

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 HFD: December 16, 1916

Assignment: Captain-Central Fire Station

Buried: Forest Park Cemetery, Lawndale, Section I, Plot 181, Space 2

Captain Edmonds was conducting a ladder drill with Ladder 1, in the parking lot beside the Central Fire Station. The eighty-five-foot aerial ladder was raised and the firefighters were taking turns climbing the backside of the ladder. This was not a routine fire department drill. Several firefighters had climbed the ladder before Captain Edmonds took his turn. As Captain Edmonds reached the top of the ladder, it began to sway in the wind and suddenly cracked and fell across Preston Street hitting an overhead trolley car wire and the ladder broke again. When this happened, Captain Edmond fell to the street where he was critically injured. Claude, was taken to St. Joseph’s Infirmary where he died a short time later. Claude was survived by his wife, Myrtle. Tom Powers, early in his career, was climbing the ladder just below Captain Edmonds. The ladder broke right above Tom; he was not injured. He went on the serve the citizens of Houston for fifty years.

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