Boston lost one of its bravest Saturday night when firefighter Robert “Bobby” Kilduff Jr. died after falling during a three-alarm blaze at a triple-decker home on Treadway Road in Dorchester.
Kilduff, a 24-year veteran of the Boston Fire Department, was on the fire floor actively working the scene when he fell. He was taken to a hospital where he was later pronounced dead. A group of his fellow firefighters followed him there to surround him with love in his final moments.
The fire broke out late Saturday and rose to three alarms before the night ended. By Sunday, charred holes gaped through the roof of the scorched home as firefighters gathered in the drizzling rain, working the scene and grieving their fallen brother.
A growing memorial of flowers formed outside the home in Kilduff’s memory.
Kilduff was assigned to Rescue 2, and by all accounts, that station was his life. His colleagues described him as the heart and soul of the firehouse, a man who may have seen more fires than any active firefighter currently serving on the Boston force.
In the 48 hours before his death, he had helped rescue a young girl near Fenway who was in danger of jumping from a building and pulled a homeless man to safety from a confined space in an MBTA yard. That was simply who Bobby Kilduff was.
“Too Big to Fill”
When word spread at Rescue 2 that the Mayday call involved one of their own, Lieutenant Greg Kelly said his first thought was that BK would be rushing in to save whoever was in trouble.
Nobody imagined it could be him. His teammates outlined the spot where he had left his shoes before climbing onto the rig, with one retired member of the company suggesting they mark his shoeprint with the words “Too Big to Fill.”
Beyond firefighting, Kilduff carried a life rich with purpose and service. He was a third-generation firefighter, a United States Marine Corps veteran, a father of two, and a dedicated volunteer with the Gary Sinise Foundation, which supports military veterans, first responders, and their families.
Actor Gary Sinise paid tribute to Kilduff on social media, calling him a dedicated volunteer and expressing condolences to his family and everyone he served alongside.
His colleagues remembered him as the informal company historian who organized shirt tributes for firefighters who died of cancer, helped plan memorial ceremonies, and kept retired members connected to the station. He coached, he organized, and he showed up for people both inside and outside the firehouse walls.
Firefighter Alector Tavares spoke emotionally at the station on Sunday about how Kilduff always reminded his crew to make time for family, a lesson he carried from losing his own father to cancer before he felt ready. Those words hit differently now.
Mayor Michelle Wu and Fire Commissioner Rodney Marshall both issued statements honoring Kilduff’s sacrifice. The mayor noted that because of his actions, every resident in the burning building made it out safely.
Boston will hold a city-wide remembrance for Firefighter Robert Kilduff Jr. as the department and community prepare to say goodbye to a man his lieutenant described simply as Rescue 2 itself.
