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, with sixteen years in the department, died along with Harry
Oxford and Edgar Grant when Engine 18 was dispatched to a house fire located
at 2426 Wilshire Street at Telephone Road. The incident was just before
midnight; the firefighters were distracted by a large glow in the sky from
the house fire. As they approached the unmarked railroad crossing at
Telephone Road and Lombardy Street, they did not see the south bound,
No. 63 Gulf Coast Line Railway Train
pulling fifty-four cars entering the crossing at the same time. Engine 18
was broadsided; two members of the crew were injured in the accident. Prior to his assignment at Fire House No. 18, his rank was that of Battalion Chief. He, however, voted for the Mayor of Houston’s rival 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
In 2023 Ruben’s son, Joey, became a proud member of the Houston Fire Department.
Chief Lopez is the only line of duty death in the history of
the Houston Volunteer Fire Department. |
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 steam
powered Port Terminal Railroad Association Train after being dispatched to a
fire at the Eastern States Refinery. There were two things that contributed
to the cause of the accident; the warning signal at the railroad crossing
was not working and 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 and Bowie
Street.
Jimmy survived World War II and returned home after 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. He was survived by his
wife of fifteen days, Peggy Leu.
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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
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.
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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
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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 twenty-three-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 (ARFF). Mayfield, a certified Aircraft and Rescue Fire Fighter (ARFF) for eight-- years, had previously spent twelve-years as a Paramedic. He was assigned as a paramedic on Medic 92, which makes calls at the terminals at George Bush Intercontinental Airport. Steve was survived by his wife of twenty-six-years, Jo, and their daughter Stacy. |
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
At 0433 hours Engine 76 responded to a fire in a McDonald’s Restaurant,
located at 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 conditioning units collapsed, trapping and
injuring Lewis. Smith, also trapped, was able to free herself and head
toward the back door of the building. Lewis was rescued and transported to
Memorial Hermann Hospital where efforts to save him failed. Kim was found
deceased eight feet from the back door.
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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 seriously injured the
captain and his chauffeur. Engine 30 was responding to a
house fire located at 7320 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 in time due to it’s heavy load. The fire apparatus was
broadsided, breaking it into several pieces. McWhorter died at the scene.
He was survived by his wife of ten years; Betty Jean, they had a daughter and a son. . |
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.
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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 member of the Houston Fire Department for
He was survived by his loving wife, Mildred, of eighteen years. Mildred
sadly, died six months after Charley’s death. |
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 located
at McGowen Street and Sauer Street.
The truck broadsided the Chief’s car with such force; it pushed it far into
the side street. Although Engine 7 and Ladder 7 were following the chief’s
car through the intersection, they did not see the accident.
The crew of Fire House No. 7 was in the process of petitioning the
city to have Fire Alarm Box 3423 removed due the high number of false
alarms it received, tragically Bobby died responding to yet another
false alarm.
Bobby was survived by his loving wife, Willa. They were married January 19, 1935. Also survived by his son, Ronald Gene, who was eight at the time of his father’s untimely passing. |
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, located at 1215 Hardy Street and 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.
Moffatt worked as a volunteer with Stonewall Hose Company No. 3 for
nine years from 1886 to 1895.
He 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
working.
Aaron was riding on the side of the apparatus working the siren when he
was thrown off and died instantly. Four members of the crew sustained
relatively minor injuries.
Aaron was married at the time of his death. He and his wife, Melba, were
expecting their first child. Patsy Margo O’Brien was born on February 4,
1930, a month after her father died. |
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
His body was put on a train by Westheimer Undertaking Company 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. He married his sweetheart, Sarah Haggerty on September 16, 1902. He 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
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 Thomas O’Leary lost his life while he and his crew were trying to extinguish a fire in a railroad boxcar loaded with fireworks. The fire took place the afternoon of November 22, 1908, in the Houston Belt Terminal Railroad switching yard located east of downtown. The fire started when a switch engine kicked a boxcar into a boxcar loaded with the fireworks. The collision of the two boxcars caused an explosion and the ensuing fire. Chief O’Leary was directing his men with little or no concern about the exploded boxcar because the explosion blew the roof off the car, thus minimizing its danger. The main concern was the possibility of the fire reaching the other railcars; however, unknown to the firefighters, large shells for aerial fireworks were on board the boxcar. Those who investigated the accident believed that one or more shells exploded in the end of the car where Chief O’Leary stood. The Chief took the full brunt of the blast. Five firefighters were injured and taken to St. Joseph’s Infirmary, along with Chief O’Leary. Tom fought courageously for his life until December 24, 1908, when he lost his final battle.
Tom was the foreman of the Houston Volunteer Stonewall Hose Company, No.
3 from 1889 to 1895. In September of 1895 he was hired as one of the first
paid Houston 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 almost eight months when he died along with Captain Little and Edgar Grant when Engine 18 was dispatched to a house fire located at 2426 Wilshire Street and Telephone Road. The incident was just before midnight and the firefighters were distracted by a large glow in the sky from the house fire. As they approached the unmarked railroad crossing at Telephone Road and Lombardy Street, they did not see a south bound, No. 63 Gulf Coast Line Railway Train pulling fifty-four cars entering the crossing at the same time. Engine 18 was broadsided; Harry was transported to Memorial Babtist Hospital where he died the next day at 9:10 a.m., his thirty-fourth 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
He had two sons, Justin, who is a member of the Houston Fire Department, and Jesse.
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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
Tanner Reed, a proud member of the Houston Fire Department for seventeen years, lost his life to the COVID-19 Virus. He is the fourth Houston Fire Department COVID-19 Line of Duty Death Tanner was 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 to date one hundred and fifty-five Covid-19 related deaths as recognized the National Firefighter Memorial. 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 Engineer 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 and 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 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.
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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 was survived by his parents, Barbara and Xavier and his brother
David, and lots of aunts, uncles and cousins! |
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 No. 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 ten years working for the Federal Bureau of Investigation before joining the Houston Fire Department. His son, Robert, was six years old at the time of his father’s death. In 2007, Robert followed in his dad’s footsteps and joined the ranks of the Houston Fire Department. |