Pittsburgh firefighters are mourning the loss of a chief who collapsed at a house fire Wednesday night.
Battalion Chief John Walsh, 60, was the incident commander at the fire when he was stricken by an unknown medical emergency.
Fellow firefighters, medics and police officers rushed to assist him when 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 possessed a commanding presence, which generated confidence and respect from all those under his command. I would like to thank 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 wrote in a statement posted on the department's Facebook page.
