Houston's Line of
Duty Firefighters
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John
Sellis Little Sr.
Born: November 19, 1883, in Knoxville, Tennessee
Died: July 11, 1929, at age 45
20th
HFD
Line of Duty
Entered the Fire Department:
June 4, 1913
Assignment:
Captain-Fire House No. 18
Buried: Forest Park Cemetery, Lawndale, Section 27, Plot 59,
Space 12
Captain Little, a
sixteen year veteran, died along with Harry
Oxford and Edgar Grant when Engine 18 was dispatched to a house fire at 2426
Wilshire Street at Telephone Road. The incident was after dark, the
firefighters were distracted by a large glow in the sky from the house fire.
As they approached the railroad crossing at Telephone Road near Lombardy
Street, they did not see a Gulf Coast Line Railway locomotive pulling fifty
three
cars entering the crossing at the same time. Engine 18 was broadsided. Two
members of the crew were injured in the accident.
Captain Little was transported to Memorial Baptist
Hospital. After undergoing numerous surgeries in an effort to save him, he
died nine days later.
His family was leaving for a family vacation the next day
when he got off work.
Prior to his assignment to Fire House No. 18 his rank was
that of Battalion Chief. He, however voted for the wrong Mayor of Houston
and was punished by Fire Chief Fred Seibert. John was demoted to the rank of Captain,
with that came lower pay and a new assignment, Fire House No. 18.
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Ruben Lopez
Born:
October 12, 1957, in Victoria, Texas
Died:
December 4, 1996, at age 39
1st
Houston Volunteer Fire Department
Line of Duty Death
Entered the Fire Department:
1987
Assignment:
HVFD District Chief-Engine 25
Buried: Forest Park Cemetery, Lawndale, Section
12, Lot 385,
Space 11
Ruben Lopez, a member of the Houston Volunteer Fire
Department, died fighting a house fire at 4006 Roseneath Drive near South
MacGregor Way. Upon arrival, Chief Lopez and the crew of Engine 25
were informed that there were still victims in the home. A flashover
occurred during the search. Chief Lopez perished along with the 41 year old
female occupant of the home. She re-entered the home thinking her 12 year
old daughter was still inside.
In 2023 Ruben’s son, Joey, became a proud member of the Houston Fire
Department.
Prior to his death he had received the organization’s
Firefighter of the Year twice.
Chief Lopez is the only line of duty death in the history of
the Houston Volunteer Fire Department.
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James Edward “Jimmy” Lowth
Born: June 26, 1923, in Houston, Texas
Died: March 31, 1947, at age 22
28th
HFD Line of Duty Death
Entered the Fire Department:
January 1946
Assignment: Pipe and Ladderman-Fire House No. 26
Buried: Hollywood Cemetery, Section F, Plot 19, Space 2
James Lowth
was seriously injured when Engine 26 was struck by a Port Terminal Railroad
locomotive (steam powered) after being dispatched to a fire at the Eastern
States Refinery. There were two things that attributed to the cause of the
accident. The warning signal at the railroad crossing was not working. The
PTRA Engineer, Oliver
Florrow was seated on the opposite side of the locomotive, and was
unable to see
Engine 26 attempting to cross the tracks. The accident
occurred at 1000 Broadway Street at Bowie Street.
Four of his crew
members, Captain Mike Lathrop, J. B. Martin, Earl McWilliams, and Wilson
Snow, all seriously injured, were transported to
St. Joseph Hospital.
Lowth was also transported to St. Joseph Hospital where he died from his
injuries.
Jimmy survived WWII and returned home from serving in the United States
Naval Reserves as a Radio Technician Second Class from
May 29, 1942 to
November 24, 1945. He died his first night back on duty since his wedding
and honeymoon in Galveston, two weeks prior.
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Leroy Pena Lucio
Born:
June 5, 1958, in San Antonio, Texas
Died:
July 20, 2020 at age 62
73rd HFD
Line of Duty Death
Entered the Houston Fire Department:
December 10, 1990, Fast Track Class
Assignment:
Captain-Fire House No. 103 “D” Shift
Buried: Our Lady of Perpetual Help Cemetery, 1255 Old Corpus Christi Road,
Far Left side of the cemetery
Captain Leroy Lucio, a 29 year veteran lost his life due to
the COVID-19 Virus. He had been battling the virus in the ICU of Life Care
Hospitals of San Antonio three weeks prior to his death. He is the first
Houston Firefighter to die from COVID-19.
Captain Lucio is the 60th
COVID-19 related Firefighter Line of Duty Death for 2020, according to the
statistics kept by the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation. On the day
he died there were 49,123 new cases of COVID-19 according to the
worldometers.info/coronavirus web site.
Leory's passion of becoming
a paramedic was fulfilled when he was hire by fire department in Kirby and
University City to be a frontline paramedic.
Leroy’s
passion of becoming a Paramedic was fulfilled when he was hired by fire
departments in Kirby and University City to be a frontline paramedic.
He is survived by the love of his life, wife Lala, sons Michael Lucio,
Andy Lares, and daughter Elaine
Hernandez.
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Jackie Dunham Ludwick
Born: August 17, 1933, in Austin, Texas
Died: February 4, 1977, at age 43
50th
HFD
Line of Duty Death
Entered the Fire Department:
July 16, 1956
Assignment: Senior Captain-Fire House No. 7 “B” Shift
Buried: Woodlawn Cemetery, Section 8, Plot 154, Space 3A
Captain Ludwick was a well respected officer in the
department. Months before his death he saved the lives of several
firefighters at St. Joseph Hospital. Working to extinguish a deep seated
fire in the laundry duct system, Captain Ludwick knew something was wrong
and began ordering firefighters out of the vent system when a flashover
occurred. Several firefighters were injured, but his actions saved their
lives.
Jackie Ludwick, a twenty one year veteran, suffered a fatal heart
attack while fighting a fire at 3700 Wheeler Avenue near Scott Street. He
was transported to Hermann Hospital where efforts to save him failed.
He is survived by his loving wife LaVerne and his three sons, Tracy,
Kelly and Jody.
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Steven Clyde "Steve" Mayfield
Born:
October 5, 1951, in Pasadena, Texas
Died:
December 2, 1998, at age 47
54th
HFD
Line of Duty Death
Entered the Fire Department:
March 31, 1975, Class 75A
Assignment:
Firefighter-Crash Rescue Station No. 92 “B” Shift
Buried:
Resthaven Cemetery, Section 7, Lot 587, Space 12
Steven Mayfield, a 23 year veteran, died from a heart attack
while participating in a live burn at the DFW Airport in Dallas, Texas.
The
burn was a part of the annual recertification process required of all
Airport Rescue Firefighters (ARF).
Mayfield, a certified Airport Rescue Firefighter
(ARF) for eight years, had previously spent 12 years as a Paramedic. He was
assigned as a paramedic on Medic 92, which makes calls at the terminals at
George Bush Intercontinental Airport.
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Lewis Evan Mayo III
Born: December 13, 1955, in Cocoa,
Florida
Died:
February 14, 2000-Valentine’s Day, at age 44
56th
HFD
Line of Duty Death
Entered the Fire Department: June 29, 1981, Class 81C
Assignment: Firefighter-Fire House No. 76 “A” Shift
Buried: Memorial Oaks Cemetery, Section
219, Lot 8, Space 2
Lewis Mayo
died with his crew member Kim Smith. At 0433 hours Engine 76
responded to a fire in a McDonald’s Restaurant, 12602 Bissonnet Street and
Dairy View Lane, less than a mile from their quarters. Upon arrival, Engine
76 reported that fire was coming from the roof of the restaurant. The crew
of Engine 76 entered the building and attempted to get the hose line to the
back of the restaurant. The section of the roof that contained the air
condition units collapsed, trapping and injuring Lewis. Kim, also trapped,
was able to free herself and head toward the back door of the building.
Lewis was rescued and transported to Hermann Hospital where efforts to save
him failed.
Kim was found deceased six feet from the back door. The fire was arson,
started by four males attempting to break into the office safe. When they
were unable to open the safe, they set the office on fire. All four men were
convicted of multiple crimes with sentences ranging from 2 to 35 years.
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Willis Neal
“Bardoil”
McWhorter
Born: April 17, 1927, in Madisonville, Texas
Died: November 6, 1959, at age 32
41st
HFD
Line of Duty Death
Entered the Fire Department: June 1, 1953
Assignment:
Pipe and Ladderman-Fire House No. 30
Buried:
Resthaven Memorial Gardens Cemetery, Plot 72, Space 1
Willis McWhorter died in an accident that claimed the life of
his fellow crew member, Charles Jedlicka and injured two firefighters.
McWhorter died at the scene. Engine 30 was responding to a house fire on
Airline Drive and Benbrook Street. The accident occurred at the intersection
of Fulton Street and Berry Street. An approaching transport truck, carrying
steel beams saw Engine 30, but was unable to stop due to its heavy load.
The
fire apparatus was broadsided, breaking it into several pieces.
Willis entered the United States Army in June 28, 1945 and served during
World War II.
He is survived by his wife of ten years, Betty Jean,
They had a daughter and a son.
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Frank William Medlenka
Born:
June 15, 1859, in Louisville, Kentucky
Died: November
23, 1901, at age 42
2nd
HFD Line of Duty Death
Entered the Fire
Department: September 21, 1895
Assignment: Driver-Washington No. 8
Buried: Glanwood Cemetery,
Old Strangers Rest, Space 320
Frank, the driver of horse-drawn
Steamer 8, was responding to call received from Fire Alarm Box 315 at the
corner of McKinney Street and Chartres Street. The steamer crossed street
car tracks at the intersection of McKinney Street and Jackson Street where
new tracks were under construction.
Hose Wagon 8, leading the way, displaced
planks covering the site causing Steamer 8 to overturn.
Frank was crushed
under the overturned steamer and was taken to St. Joseph’s Infirmary where
he died later that night.
Frank Medlenka entered the Houston Fire
Department at age 36. His father owned one of the local newspapers, the
"Herald", which later became the Houston Chronicle, where Frank worked as a
pressman. He developed an allergy to the ink; his condition was called “The
Printer’s Disease”.
His doctor advised him, for his health, to change
professions, which he did.
Frank was a member of the Volunteer
Protection Hose Company No. 1 from 1883 to 1887 as the First Assistant.
In September 1895 he became one of the first paid Houston Firefighters.
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Charley Albert Middlekauf
Born:
February 7, 1888, in Canton, Illinois
Died: March 10, 1953, at age 65
34th
HFD
Line of Duty Death
Entered the Fire Department:
January 1, 1910
Assignment: Assistant Chief-Central Fire Station
Buried: Forest Park Cemetery, Lawndale, Section 24, Plot 124,
Space 12S
Chief Middlekauf, a 43 year veteran, died of a heart attack
on the scene of a fire at the Frederick Poultry and Egg Company, 1817 Center
Street at Silver Street. One of his duties as Assistant Chief was directing
firefighting efforts at multiple alarm fires. He had been commanding
firefighters for some time when he fell to his knees and asked to be taken
across the street to a neighbor’s porch where he collapsed.
Ambulance crews
were unable to save him and a physician on the scene pronounced him
deceased.
When Charley entered the Houston Fire Department in 1910, the department was
equipped with only horse-drawn fire apparatus.
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Robert
Weir
“Bobby” Milburn
Born:
March 31, 1911, in Palestine, Texas
Died: April 14, 1949, at age 38
31st
HFD
Line of Duty Death
Entered the Fire Department:
September 4, 1933
Assignment: Driver-Fire House No. 7
Buried: South Park Cemetery, Section J, Plot 227, Space 5
Bobby Milburn, the driver of Battalion Chief 7, collided with
a pickup truck at the intersection of Fannin Street and McGowen Street. Fire
House No. 7 received a signal from Fire Alarm Box 3423 at McGowen Street and
Sauer Street. Engine 7 and Ladder 7 were following behind the chief’s car.
The truck hit the car broadside so hard it pushed it far into the side
street and upon going through the intersection, the firefighters did not see
the accident.
Chief H. H. “Bubba” Finn and the driver of the pickup were
seriously injured.
Bobby Milburn was transported to Jefferson Davis Hospital
where he was pronounced on arrival.
The alarm was false. The crew of Fire House No. 7 was in the
process of
petitioning the city to have Box 3423 removed due the high number
of false alarms it received.
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Barnett
Cohen “Barney” Moffatt
Born:
October 10, 1858, in Houston, Texas
Died:
April 26, 1908, at age 49
4th
HFD Line of Duty Death
Entered the Fire Department: September 21, 1895
Assignment: Pipe and Ladderman-Engine Company No. 7
Buried:
Glenwood Cemetery, Section D, Plot 94, Space 1
Barney Moffatt died while fighting a fire at the Mercantile Grain
Company, 1215 Hardy Street near Lyons Avenue. He was doing clean up with his
Lieutenant, Lawrence Lazzio. They were working on the ground floor of the
building, assigned to check for hot spots. The floor was overloaded and
stacked to the ceiling with sacks of feed, which caused the floor to weaken
and collapse into the cellar. Barney fell with the floor and perished;
Lawrence was able to survive by grabbing one of the pipes in the ceiling.
Just prior to his death he had been off over a year after being
injured in an accident while driving Hose Wagon 5.
After recovering from his
injuries, he was assigned to Fire House No. 7.
Moffatt worked as a volunteer with Stonewall Hose Company No. 3 for nine
years. Barney was one of the first firefighters hired when the
City of
Houston went from a volunteer department to a paid department in September
of 1895.
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Born:
September 15, 1906 in Texarkana, Texas
Died:
December 20, 1929, at age 23
21st
HFD
Line of Duty Death
Entered the Fire Department:
July 12, 1929
Assignment: Pipe and Ladderman-Fire House No. 19
Buried: Forest Park Cemetery, Lawndale, Section I, Plot 248,
Space 4627
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Aaron O’Brien, five months into his career, died along
with Michael Ward when Engine 19 was dispatched to a house fire at Quitman
Street and Clark Street. When crossing the double railroad tracks at Gregg
Street, a short distance from Fire House No. 19, they were hit by a Southern
Pacific Railroad locomotive. Buildings at the crossing obstructed the view
of an oncoming train and the red lights and the
swinging arm at the crossing were not operating.
Four crew members were
injured and transported to local hospitals. Aaron died at the scene.
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Patrick
O’Hara
Born:
March 17, 1878, in Ireland
Died:
September 21, 1913, at age 35
8th
HFD Line of Duty Death
Entered the Fire Department: 1906
Assignment:
Lieutenant-Fire House No. 6
Buried:
Calvary Cemetery, Cleveland, Ohio, Section 9, Lot 1207,
Grave 2
Patrick O’Hara died responding to a signal transmitted from
Fire Alarm Box 412, located in the 4th
Ward, San Felipe Street and Hobson Street, where a small shack was burning.
Engine 6 hit a hole in the street where the bricks were missing. O’Hara was
thrown from the side of the engine and
fell against a telegraph pole where
he died instantly. The accident occurred at Sabine Street and Lubbock
Street.
His body was put on a train by Westheimer Undertaking and
sent to Cleveland, Ohio where his two sisters and brother lived.
Patrick, at age twenty three, immigrated to the United States via Ellis
Island in 1901. Married his sweetheart Sarah Haggerty September 16, 1902.
Petitioned to become a citizen of the United States in 1905 and moved to
Houston,
Texas to become a member of the Houston Fire Department in 1906.
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Thomas
Andrew “Tom” O’Leary
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Born:
November 1860, in Newport, Wells, United Kingdom
Died:
December 24, 1908-Christmas Eve, at age 48
5th
HFD Line of Duty Death
Entered the Fire Department: September 21, 1895
Assignment:
Fire Chief-Central Fire Station
Buried:
Glenwood Cemetery, Section West Avenue, Lot
343, Space 1
Fire Chief Tom O’Leary died while responding to a railcar explosion at
the Houston Belt Terminal Railroad switching yards. On Sunday November 22,
1908, two boxcars collided in the railyard. One of the railcars, containing
fireworks caught fire and exploded. The chief led his crew into the boxcar,
unaware that there were still several large unexploded shells. When the
remaining shells exploded, the blast injured the Fire Chief and five members
of his crew. They were all transported to St. Joseph’s Infirmary. All the
crew members survived:
Chief O’Leary died from his injuries, thirty two days
later on Christmas Eve.
Tom was the Foreman of the Volunteer Stonewall Hose Company No. 3 from
1889 to 1894.
In September of 1895 he was hired as one of the first paid
Houston Fire Department’s firefighters.
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Harry Lloyd “Red” Oxford
Born: July 3, 1895, in Dallas, Texas
Died: July 3, 1929, at age 34
19th
HFD
Line of Duty Death
Entered the Fire Department:
November 16, 1928
Assignment: Pipe and Ladderman-Fire House No. 18
Buried: Forest Park Cemetery, Lawndale, Section I, Plot 143,
Section 2
Harry Oxford had been in the department less than a year when
he died along with Captain Little and Edgar Grant when Engine 18 was
dispatched to a house fire
at 2426 Wilshire Street at Telephone Road. The incident was after dark, the
firefighters were distracted by a large glow in the sky from the house fire.
As they approached the railroad crossing at Telephone Road near Lombardy
Street, they did not see a
Gulf Coast Line Railway locomotive pulling fifty
three
cars entering the crossing at the same time. Engine 18 was broadsided.
Harry
was transported to St. Joseph Infirmary where he died the next day, his 34th
birthday. Two members of the crew were injured in the accident.
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Gerardo Isaias "Jerry" Pacheco
Born:
January 4, 1970, in
Monterrey, Mexico
Died:
August 3, 2020 at age
50
74th
HFD
Line of Duty Death
Entered the Houston Fire Department: January 5, 2004, Class 26 2004
Assignment: Firefighter-Fire House No. 101 “C” Shift
Buried: Kline Memorial Park, Tomball, Texas, Section C, Lot 46, Space 2
Jerry Pacheco, a seventeen year veteran lost his life due to the
COVID-19 Virus. He had been battling the virus in the ICU at the CHI St.
Luke’s Health Hospital in the Woodlands. He is the second Houston
Firefighter to die from COVID-19.
Jerry is the 62nd
COVID-19 related Firefighter Line of Duty Death for 2020, according to the
statistics kept by the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation. On the day
he died there were 48,282 new cases of COVID-19 according to the
worldometers.info/coronavirus web site.
After graduating from high
school, he joined the United States Navy. He went up the ranks to Petty
Officer, First Class. During his time in the Navy he was deployed to
Operaton Desert Storm in the Gulf War in 1991.
He has two sons,
Justin who is a member of the member of the Houston Fire Department and
Jesse.
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Tanner Graham Reed
Born:
October 28, 1981, in Stephenville, Texas
Died:
September 3, 2021 at age 39
77th
HFD Line of Duty Death
Entered the Fire Department:
December 1, 2003, Class 25
Assignment:
Engineer/Operator-Fire House No. 10 “B” Shift
Buried: Glenn Cemetery, Tolar, Texas, Tanner's plot is in
the back left corner of the
cemetery,
under a
very large oak tree, next to his Dad, Charles Reed.
Tanner Reed, a
seventeen year veteran of HFD, lost his life to the
COVID-19 Virus. He is the fourth Houston Fire Department COVID-19 Line of
Duty Death. Tanner is the eighth
in the United States and Canada,
according to the IAFF,
to succumb to the COVID-19 Virus in 2021.
The total
Firefighter deaths as of July 1, 2022 is ninety.
Tanner and his family received an incredible amount of
unwavering support from the nurses and staff at the HCA Houston Healthcare
North Cypress Hospital as well as his colleagues from the Houston Fire
Department, who continue to be there for his family.
Tanner was proud to call himself a Houston Firefighter and
was considered one of the best Engine Operators in his area. His skill and
dedication to being the best at his job earned him the respect of all who
worked with him; his actions on the fire ground helped save many lives and
property over the years. Tanner passed on his knowledge, respect for the
job, and the right way to do it both on the fire ground and at the Fire
House.
He was a mentor to many and his teachings made those around him
better every day.
He served at Fire House No. 73 and Fire House No. 77 with his
last assignment as an Engineer/Operator at Fire House No. 10.
Lexi Kathleen Reed; Tanner’s daughter was everything to him.
She has his energy for life and just enough of his orneriness to run the
world one day! While Tanner loved the hustle of all the calls and the
adrenaline each one brought from the Houston city firefighter life, he
missed the space and quietness of the pastures back home in Bluff Dale,
Texas and often took Lexi there to ensure she knew the value of country
life. He taught her to fish, hunt, and run the fields just as he did as a
child. He taught her life lessons that she will carry with her always.
Those we love don’t go away,
they walk beside us every day; unseen, unheard
but always near, still loved, still missed, and very dear. Tanner will
never leave her side.
Tanner has a very special bond with his dad, Charles and his
daughter, Lexi; all three generations were born on the same day, October 28.
Written by Hilary Stephans (Sister) and Firefighter John Rarden
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Matthew Rena Renaud
Born:
July 2, 1977, in Houston, Texas
Died:
May 31, 2013, at age 35
67th
HFD Line of Duty Death
Entered the Fire Department: October 30, 2001, Class 8 2001
Assignment: Captain-Fire House No. 51 “A” Shift
Buried:
Forest Park Cemetery, Lawndale, Section 39, Lot BE
(Bench Estate) 8, Space 1 Lower
Matt Renaud, perished along with Bobby Bebee, 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 15 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.
On April 27, 2013 Captain Renaud and two of his crew members, Firefighter
Wally Hayes and Firefighter Joel Rincon
received the Unit Meritorious Medal
for rescuing an unconscious victim from a burning apartment in April 2012.
Soon after his death he was promoted posthumously to the rank of Senior
Captain.
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Robert Munguia Reyes
Born:
August
30, 1952, in Houston, Texas
Died:
December 1, 1984, at age 32
53th
HFD
Line of Duty Death
Entered the Fire Department:
January 26, 1981, Class 81A
Assignment: Pipe and Ladderman-Fire House No. 62 “A” Shift
Buried:
Memorial Oaks Cemetery, Section 11, Plot 42, Space 3B
The day of his death, Robert Reyes was assigned to work his
shift at Fire House 15. Engine 15 responded to a car fire on Interstate 45.
Before the crew arrived at the scene Robert fell to his death from the jump
seat of Engine 15.
Reyes spent 10 years working for the Federal Bureau of
Investigation before joining the Houston Fire Department.
His son, Robert
Reyes Jr. followed in his dad’s footsteps. He was 6 years old when his dad died
and in 2007
he joined the ranks of the Houston Fire Department.
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