A funeral was held Friday for a New York City firefighter killed while battling a three-alarm Brooklyn house fire.
Timothy Klein, 31, died Sunday when flames engulfed the second floor of the home on Avenue N near East 108th Street, causing part of the ceiling to collapse.
One other person – 21-year-old Carlos Richards, who suffered from autism – was killed in the blaze in Brooklyn´s Canarsie neighborhood. Eight firefighters and a resident were hurt.
Klein´s funeral began at 11 am and is being held at the Church of St. Francis DeSales, a Roman Catholic parish in Belle Harbor, Queens.
Klein, who grew up in nearby Breezy Point, was with the fire department for six years.
He was a second-generation member of New York City’s bravest. His father is retired FDNY hero Patrick Klein.
In addition to his father, Timothy Klein is survived by his mother, Diana, and his three sisters.
Klein was a member of the Ladder 170 brotherhood out of Rockaway, Queens, and his father had been a member of the 156 based in the Midwood neighborhood in Brooklyn.
On Thursday, hundreds wrapped around the block outside McManus Funeral Home in Flatlands to pay respects to the fallen firefighter.
Timothy Klein, 31, died Sunday when flames engulfed the second floor of a home on Avenue N near East 108th Street, causing part of the ceiling to collapse. His funeral will be held on Friday
Firefighters are pictured flying a flag outside Klein’s funeral at the Church of St. Francis DeSales, a Roman Catholic parish in Belle Harbor, Queens on Friday
Firefighters line up outside the Church of St. Francis DeSales in honor of fallen firefighter Timothy Klein on Friday. Klein died Sunday when flames engulfed the second floor of a home on Avenue N near East 108th Street, causing part of the ceiling to collapse
Firefighters in their dress blues line the streets leading to Klein’s funeral service on Friday. Klein was a member of the Ladder 170 brotherhood out of Rockaway, Queens
FDNY firefighters are pictured in procession on Friday to honor fallen comrade Timothy Klein. Klein, who grew up in nearby Breezy Point, was with the fire department for six years
A woman holds a funeral program for Timothy Klein at Friday’s service
Robert Velasquez, another member of Ladder 170 who broke both his arms jumping out a window to escape Sunday’s blaze, could be seen in twin casts. Velasquez was released from Brookdale Hospital on Tuesday.
‘Everything you hear about Tim Klein was he was the best firefighter, the best son, the best brother, the kind of guy everybody relied on,’ said acting FDNY Commissioner Laura Kavanagh.
‘His absence leaves a real hole in our hearts and certainly his family’s.’
Lieutenant Robert Kittelberger of Ladder Company 170 said at Thursday’s wake that Klein ‘made an impression on everybody he worked with, junior men who he trained and senior men who he impressed.’
‘He was a very big part of our firehouse; he was very dependable at a fire,’ Kittelberger said. ‘This has been heartbreaking for us. We are going to stick together and get through the next couple of days and take care of each other.’
When he wasn’t at the firehouse, Klein worked with the Fight for Firefighters Foundation, which raised money for ramps and other accessibility equipment for injured firefighters, according to Brooklyn Paper.
‘Timmy was on the board of The Fight for Firefighters Foundation,’ said FDNY Lieutenant John Vaeth, in a statement.
‘He was at every build, he was always up to help people. Timmy was our go to guy. He helped with fundraising, building, and so much of the behind the scenes work that goes into running a foundation.’
‘This not only a tremendous loss for the FDNY, but a big loss for our Foundation.’
Robert Velasquez (pictured), another member of Ladder 170 who broke both his arms jumping out a window to escape Sunday’s blaze, could be seen in twin casts at Klein’s wake on Thursday
Velasquez, pictured with other firefighter’s at Klein’s Thursday wake, was released from Brookdale Hospital on Tuesday
Firefighters attended Thursday’s wake in both dress blues and fire-retardant gear
A line of firefighters salute a van carrying Klein’s surviving parents and sisters at Thursday’s wake
Klein’s sisters are pictured arriving at the McManus Funeral Home on Thursday
Curtis Sliwa, (right) CEO of the Guardian Angers, arrives at the wake for fallen fire fighter Timothy Klein of Ladder 170 in Canarsie
In 2019, Klein spoke at the funeral of his friend and fellow firefighter Steven Pollard, who plunged more than 50 feet to his death off a highway bridge while rushing to rescue two men trapped in an overturned vehicle on the Belt Parkway.
Klein and Pollard were both assigned to Ladder Company 170 in Canarsie.
At his funeral, Klein celebrated his friend saying, ‘When it came to fire duty, Steve showed no fear.’
He then joked: ‘Now, on the other hand, dressing as Santa Claus absolutely terrified him.’
Pollard’s family will attend Klein’s funeral, according to The New York Post.
Klein joked about his friend saying that Pollard never showed fear on the job but was scared of dressing up as Santa Claus for the holidays
Prior his career with the fire department, Klein worked as a gym administrator U.S. Athletic Training Center in Midtown Manhattan.
He was a graduate of York College of Pennsylvania with a bachelor’s degree in athletic administration.
On the fateful day in April 22, Klein and three of his fellow FDNY heroes were inside the home when the building became compromised and the ceiling collapsed.
An evacuation order had been issued just prior to the collapse. Officials said that Klein was part of the nozzle team that was charged with putting out the fire.
The other three men made it out of the home, Klein did not.
The FDNY said that the blaze brought 33 units and more than 100 personnel to the scene. It was described as a 3-alarm fire.
The call went out about the Canarsie blaze around 2:00 p.m. on April 22. The 3-alarm blaze called more than 100 FDNT personnel to the scene
One witness said of the fire, ‘The flames were massive, and there was so much smoke. Everybody was running back inside their houses to get away from it.’
Another resident of where the fire took place said, ‘I could see one of the firefighters on the ladder and the smoke was so black that all I could see were the yellow stripes on his uniform’
A neighbor to the burning home told NBC New York, ‘I could see one of the firefighters on the ladder and the smoke was so black that all I could see were the yellow stripes on his uniform.’
Another neighbor Clara McKenley told the New York Post that the fire was the ‘scariest thing.’ She added, ‘The flames were massive, and there was so much smoke. Everybody was running back inside their houses to get away from it.’
Acting Chief of Department John Hodgens told the media at Brookdale Hospital in Brooklyn, ‘Everything seemed to be going routine when suddenly the entire second floor became engulfed in flames.
Three other members that were with [Klein] were able to escape by jumping out windows and getting out ladders in other areas of the building.’
Hodgens went on to say that Klein’s comrades did everything that they could do to reach him.
Eventually, he was removed from the home and rushed to Brookdale Hospital where he was pronounced dead.
New York City Mayor Eric Adams paid further tribute to Klein at Brookdale Hospital saying, ‘It gives us great pain and sorrow to announce that New York City has lost one of its bravest, Timothy Klein.’
The mayor continued, ‘A six and a half years as a firefighter, 31-years-old, coming from a rich tradition of dad and other relatives who are firefighters.’
At the time of writing, the cause of the fire has not been determined.
Klein is the 1,157th member of the FDNY to die in the line of duty.
Klien is the 1,157th member of the New York’s bravest to be killed in the line of duty
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