WORCESTER, MASS. (WHDH) - The Worcester Fire Department knows the pain of losing firefighters in the line of duty, especially during the month of December.
Christopher Roy, 36, of Shrewsbury, who has been with the department for about two-and-a-half years, died after becoming trapped on the second floor of the Lowell Street home around 4 a.m. Sunday, Worcester Fire Chief Michael Lavoie said.
RELATED: Worcester community mourns loss of firefighter who died battling 5-alarm blaze
The Worcester Fire Department mourns the line of duty death of FF Christopher Roy who courageously battled a 5 alarm fire on Lowell St. All responding firefighters & crews displayed supreme heroism under extreme conditions. We ask you to keep the family of FF Roy in your thoughts pic.twitter.com/Xs0bOQHGFa
— Worcester Fire Dept. (@WorcesterFD) December 9, 2018
His death came seven years after the department lost another one of its brothers – Jon Davies.
Davies was attempting to make a rescue when a building collapsed on him on Dec. 8, 2011.
Today we remember and honor FF Jon Davies. FF Davies lost his life on December 8, 2011 while fighting a structure fire on Arlington St. FF Davies was conducting a search for a reported victim when the building collapsed. pic.twitter.com/CXDe5zMzvD
— Worcester Fire Dept. (@WorcesterFD) December 8, 2018
In December of 1999, six firefighters died battling the Worcester Cold Storage fire. It was later learned that a homeless couple accidentally set fire to the abandoned warehouse when they lit a candle.
Killed were Lt. Thomas Spencer, 42, firefighter Paul Brotherton, firefighter Timothy Jackson, firefighter Jeremiah Lucey, firefighter James Lyons, and firefighter Joseph McGuirk.
“Once again, December has proven to be the cruelest month of the year for the Worcester Fire Department,” Mayor Joseph Petty said.
Gov. Charlie Baker echoed that statement, writing on Twitter, “Our hearts go out to firefighter Roy’s family and friends. December has been especially cruel to Worcester firefighters and their families over the years. Keep them all in your thoughts and prayers.”
(Copyright (c) 2024 Sunbeam Television. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)