UMVA has learned that a tragic loss has shaken the city of Boston, as a veteran firefighter and Marine Corps veteran was killed while battling a devastating three-alarm house fire in Dorchester.
Firefighter Robert "Bobby" Kilduff Jr., a 24-year veteran of the Boston Fire Department and member of Rescue 2, died after responding to the fire on Treadway Road on Saturday night. The Boston Fire Department paid tribute to Kilduff, expressing their deepest condolences to his family.
The fire, which displaced five people, spread rapidly through all three floors of the home before burning through the roof. Despite the valiant efforts of firefighters, Kilduff suffered critical injuries after falling from the third floor of the burning home while crews worked to extinguish the blaze.
Mayor Michelle Wu hailed Kilduff as a hero, saying that his actions, along with those of his fellow firefighters, ensured the safe evacuation of all residents from the burning building. Wu remembered Kilduff as a dedicated public servant who came from a family of firefighters and embodied the highest sense of duty to serve and protect.
Fire Commissioner Rodney Marshall described Kilduff as a respected and dedicated firefighter, known affectionately as "BK," who was deeply rooted in the fire service. Marshall praised Kilduff's courage, commitment, and selflessness, which defined his profession.
Earlier on the day of the fatal fire, Kilduff had participated in a technical rescue, helping to save another person before responding to the blaze that would ultimately claim his life. In his honor, Gov. Maura Healey ordered flags at state buildings across Massachusetts to be lowered to half-staff.
The governor expressed her heartbreak over Kilduff's loss, remembering him as a Marine and third-generation firefighter who dedicated his life to protecting others. The cause of the fire remains under investigation, but officials say that Kilduff's courage and service have saved countless lives, including those of the five residents who escaped the burning building safely.
