Research notes on Durham Fire Department line of duty deaths.
Andrew Johnathan Brokes
Age: 24 | Rank: Firefighter
Date of death: October 8, 2026
Brokes died at the scene of a commercial structure fire on Marly Drive, after a roof collapsed while he and other firefighters were conducting searches on the first floor. The building had been converted for residential use.
Heavy fire was showing the building, when the first units arrived after the dispatch at about 3:18 a.m. At about 3:30 a.m., a roof collapse was reported, and maydays were subsequently sounded. A second alarm was sounded.
Three firefighters had been searching the first floor, when the collapse occurred. Two were rescued within minutes and then transported to the hospital with minor injures. The rescue effort continued for the third firefighter. He was later recovered and pronounced dead at the scene. Later that day, department officials identified the fallen firefighter as Andrew Brokes.
Brokes was a member of Tower 5, a newly created designation for Ladder 13. He had been a member of DFD since May 5, 2025. He was also a current/past member of Swepsonville, Elon, and Efland fire departments.
Read blog post about the incident.
David Scott Merritt
Age: 54 | Rank: Assistant Fire Marshal
Date of death: December 26, 2021
Service: Antioch Baptist Church in Chapel Hill, January 3, 2022
Merritt died after a short battle with intestinal cancer. He had been a member of DFD since 2014 and retired posthumously on January 1, 2022. He was also a member of White Cross Fire Department. He had served with DFD since 2014, after working as fire marshal for Columbus County and assistant fire marshal Orange County. He started his career as a paid firefighter for Carrboro, where he reached the rank of lieutenant.
Jeremy Michael Klemm
Age: 45 | Rank: Driver / Engineer
Date of death: September 18, 2021
Service: Apex Funeral Home, September 26, 2021
Klemm died after contracting COVID on August 17, 2021. He had served 15 years with DFD. He was remembered as someone who enjoyed hunting, fishing, ATV riding, and camping. He was also a collector of many things. Outside of the fire department, he helped others through charitable community service, caring for disabled neighbors, and helping those in need.
David Wayne “Wayne” Page
Age: 54 | Rank: Firefighter
Date of death: December 18, 2018
Service: Rose of Sharon Baptist Church, December 20, 2018
Page died of occupational cancer after retiring on May 1, 2018, following 16 years of service. He was a firefighter, EMT, swift water rescue technician, and a relief driver. He fought esophageal cancer for two years before the illness became too overwhelming to continue work. In August 2019, the North Carolina Industrial Commission ruled his death duty-related.
Gary Eugene Fletcher
Age: 23 | Rank: Public Safety Officer
Date of death: February 14, 1978
Burial: Oak Grove Memorial Gardens, February 16, 1978.
Note: Legeros had previously and incorrectly cited his age as 28 years.
Fletcher died at Durham County General Hospital from injuries sustained while catching a hydrant at a house fire on Rowena Avenue on Sunday night, February 5. He was connecting hose to the hydrant when the truck pulled away, striking him with the hose and fitting.
It was snowing at the time of the incident, and it was initially thought that Fletcher had been struck by a car that was seen speeding away. He was transported with head injuries and compound fractures in his leg. He died eight days later. As many as 1,000 people attended the services on February 16. He was buried with honors including a 21-gun salute.
Ernest Vincent Wilkie Jr.
Age: 45 | Rank: Assistant Chief
Date of death: January 20, 1970
Burial: Maplewood Cemetery, January 21, 1970
Wilkie died at Watts Hospital in Durham after suffering a heart attack from smoke inhalation while searching for the source of a fire in a house on Green Street. He was found unconscious in a rear bedroom. He died about 10 1/2 hours later. He had been a member of DFD for 21 years.
Joseph Alexandria Chandler
Age: 55 | Rank: Driver
Date of death: February 13, 1957
Burial: Woodlawn Memorial Park, Durham
Chandler died of a heart attack while on duty at Station 4, located at 619 McMannan Street. His body was discovered around 6:20 a.m., when he failed to report to the station officer at the end of his shift. He was found in his bed. He had been a member of DFD since 1921 and was eligible for retirement.
Frank W. Bennett
Age: 62 | Rank: Chief of Department
Date of death: November 26, 1946
Burial: Maplewood Cemetery, November 28, 1946
Bennett died at Watts Hospital 20 days after becoming ill at a mattress factory fire on November 6. He returned home after the fire and a little later as admitted to the hospital, where he remained until the time of his death. During his funeral, seven Greensboro firefighters helped man fire stations.
He had been a member of DFD since 1909 and chief of the department for the past 25 years. He was active in the state, regional, and national associations. He was president of the state association and served three terms. He also served as the president of the southeastern chief’s association. He was nationally known as the “singing fire chief.”
Sources
Legeros Blog – Durham Firefighter Andrew Brokes Killed in Line of Duty
Legeros Fallen Firefighters Database
National Fallen Firefighters Foundation – Memorial Weekend Memory Books
Newspaper Articles, Various – See this Google Drive