Pittsburgh firefighters are mourning the loss of a chief who collapsed while responding to a house fire Wednesday night. Battalion Chief John Walsh, 60, was serving as the incident commander when he suffered an unknown medical emergency.
Fellow firefighters, medics, and police officers quickly rushed to his aid after he collapsed. Despite their efforts, Walsh was pronounced dead at a local hospital.
“John Walsh was a stabilizing force in the Pittsburgh Bureau of Fire. He was a master tactician on the fire ground and had a commanding presence that inspired confidence and respect among all those under his command. I want to express my gratitude to the members of C-Line, the Fire Investigation Unit, Pittsburgh EMS, and UPMC Presbyterian Hospital ER for their heroic efforts to save our brother. He will be greatly missed,” Fire Chief Darryl Jones stated in a message posted on the department’s Facebook page.
