‘A deep cut’: Veteran Pittsburgh battalion chief dies fighting East Hills blaze

Pittsburgh Bureau of Fire Battalion Chief John P. Walsh died of natural causes Wednesday night while in command at a structure fire in the city.

Walsh, 60, of Brighton Heights, collapsed while supervising firefighters battling a blaze in the 700 block of Wilkinsburg Avenue in Pittsburgh’s East Hills neighborhood, officials said.

He was rushed to UPMC Presbyterian hospital in Oakland, where he was pronounced dead at 10:59 pm, according to the Allegheny County Medical Examiner’s Office.

The cause of Walsh’s death was heart disease, the medical examiner said Thursday.

Pittsburgh Fire Chief Darryl Jones called Walsh a highly knowledgeable firefighter and “excellent tactician” whose calm demeanor steadied those around him.

Walsh served for 37 years in the fire bureau.

“He was one of my go-to guys,” Jones told reporters Thursday at the fire bureau’s Strip District headquarters. “We are going to miss him. “This is a deep cut.”

Walsh and Jones both started working as firefighters in 1987, Jones said. As of this week, they were two of the roughly 700 active firefighters in the bureau.

Walsh was promoted to battalion chief, a position his father once held, on June 18, 2012, the firefighters union said.

He recently served out of Engine and Truck Company #8 in East Liberty, officials said.

The firefighters at the station, which they call “The 8 House,” posted a photo to Facebook Thursday morning of Walsh’s battalion chief jacket.

“It’s a tragic loss of a well-loved, well-respected battalion chief,” Ralph Sicuro, the firefighters union president, said. “I have touched a lot of lives over his years. “We’re going to miss him.”

Walsh was previously injured in the line of duty, Jones said. Several years ago, I suffered electrical burns at the scene of a blaze.

He was off active duty for 11 months, Jones said.

“His loss is not only a tragedy for his loved ones, but for our entire community,” Public Safety Director Lee Schmidt said.

“Chief Walsh was the true embodiment of a public servant, known for his leadership and commitment to the safety of our city,” Mayor Ed Gainey said in a statement. “As we mourn this tremendous loss, we also honor the legacy and lasting impact that Chief Walsh left on the lives of his fellow firefighters and those he served.”

Walsh is survived by his wife, Mary, and his parents.

“His unwavering passion for the job, his courageous service, and his remarkable leadership over 37 dedicated years will never be forgotten,” the union wrote on social media. “Chief Walsh embodied the very best of what it means to serve and protect.”

A visitation will be held Sunday from 2 pm to 8 pm at William Slater II Funeral Service in Scott. There will be a Pittsburgh Firefighters final salute at 7 pm There will be a funeral Mass Monday at 10 am St Paul’s Cathedral in Oakland with burial to follow in Holy Savior Cemetery in Richland.