Boston Firefighter Killed in Dorchester Blaze After Falling During Triple-Decker Rescue

Boston is grieving the death of veteran firefighter Robert “Bobby” Kilduff Jr., who was killed while responding to a three-alarm fire in Dorchester on Saturday night. Kilduff, a 24-year member of the Boston Fire Department, died after falling from the third floor of a burning home on Treadway Road during an intense firefighting operation.

The fire broke out at 18 Treadway Road at around 8:15 p.m., drawing a large emergency response to the Dorchester neighborhood. Fire officials said heavy flames were coming from the rear of the three-story home when crews arrived. The blaze quickly spread through the building, forcing firefighters to work aggressively to stop it from reaching nearby houses.

Kilduff was assigned to Rescue Company 2, one of the department’s specialized units. During the response, firefighters were able to knock down the heaviest flames within roughly 20 minutes. But shortly after, around 8:50 p.m., a mayday call was issued after Kilduff fell from a third-floor window.

Boston EMS rushed him to Boston Medical Center with severe injuries. He was later pronounced dead, marking a devastating line-of-duty loss for the department and the city.

Speaking outside the hospital early Sunday, Boston Fire Commissioner Rodney Marshall said the department had lost one of its most courageous and dedicated members. Officials described Kilduff as “one of our best,” a firefighter whose life was shaped by service, loyalty and sacrifice.

Kilduff was a third-generation firefighter and had spent nearly a quarter-century serving Boston residents. His commitment to public service extended beyond the firehouse. He also served in the U.S. Marine Corps and was connected with the Professional Firefighters of Massachusetts and the International Association of Firefighters.

City officials said Kilduff’s record of service went far beyond years on the job. Just weeks before his death, he helped save a fellow firefighter who went into cardiac arrest. Earlier on the same day as the fatal Dorchester fire, he also reportedly took part in a technical rescue that helped save another person’s life.

Boston Mayor Michelle Wu offered condolences to Kilduff’s family, fellow firefighters and the wider emergency services community. She said his family had given deeply to both the country and the city, and called the loss heartbreaking for Boston.

Kilduff leaves behind his wife and two children.

The fatal fire has also drawn attention to the dangers firefighters face in Boston’s older residential buildings. Triple-decker homes are common in neighborhoods such as Dorchester, and fires inside these structures can become dangerous quickly. Flames can move through multiple floors, smoke can limit visibility and upper-level operations often carry serious risks for crews working in tight spaces.

According to WCVB, firefighters were able to prevent the blaze from spreading to nearby homes despite the heavy fire conditions. The exact circumstances of Kilduff’s fall remain under investigation.

For Boston firefighters, the loss is deeply personal. Fire Commissioner Marshall said firefighters understand the risks every time they put on the uniform, but losing someone they know and serve beside is difficult to put into words.

The department’s grief has been echoed by tributes from firefighters, public officials and residents who remembered Kilduff as a brave public servant who repeatedly put others first. His death stands as a painful reminder that emergency responders face life-threatening danger long after the sirens begin and until every crew member returns home.

Readers following major emergency response stories can also read Swikblog’s recent coverage of the Austin Pease Park fire incident.

As investigators continue reviewing the Dorchester fire, Boston is remembering Robert “Bobby” Kilduff Jr. not only as a firefighter killed in the line of duty, but as a Marine veteran, a husband, a father and a public servant whose final call came while protecting others.

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