Bug kills marshal Knox, who probed city fires, bombings, dies in L.I. hosp
3rd in FDNY hit by virus
Legendary Fire Marshal John Knox, who investigated hundreds of fires, died Monday in a Long Island hospital from complications of COVID-19.
Knox, 84, died at Mount Sinai South Nassau Medical Center in Oceanside about 10 a.m. His death came 19 days after he passed out Feb. 26 from what initially appeared to be the flu.
Knox founded the FDNY union that represents the fire marshals, and investigated hundreds of fires in the 1970s and 1980s. He also probed terrorist bombings by the Fuerzas Armadas de Liberacion (FALN), including the bombing of Fraunces Tavern in 1975, which killed four people and injured 40.
The exhuberant Rockaway, Queens, resident, who enjoyed cross-country road trips, was still investigating cases as a private consultant right up until he went into the hospital, said his friend Peter Gleason.
“John has worn many hats over his lifetime, U.S. Marine, firefighter, fire marshal and labor leader, but he will best be remembered as a loving husband, father and friend,” Gleason said Monday. “John would want his untimely demise to be used to draw attention and resources in finding a cure or vaccine for the coronavirus.”
Knox was already stricken with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and reduced lung function from working at Ground Zero following the 9/11 terrorist attacks.
It was unclear how Knox contracted coronavirus. He hadn’t traveled outside the five boroughs in years, and hadn’t encountered anyone who traveled outside the country.
“John Knox and the Knox family are in our thoughts and prayers,” FDNY spokesman Jim Long said.
On Saturday, as Knox lay in isolation, his family lobbied the hospital to give him Remdesvir, an experimental anti-virus medication developed to fight the Ebola virus. But because Knox had kidney failure, doctors told relatives he could not receive the drug.
“The patient – who had not traveled to any high-risk countries or been exposed to someone with symptoms of COVID-19 – was admitted to the hospital on Feb. 26 and did not meet the CDC criteria in place at the time for COVID-19 testing,” the hospital said in a statement. “He did have an underlying chronic health condition as well as new symptoms. He later was diagnosed with COVID-19, and MSSN staff did everything possible.”
A third member of the city Fire Department has tested positive for the coronavirus, officials said Monday.
The positive test for COVID-19 is the third to hit the FDNY. An FDNY captain assigned to Battalion 43 in Coney Island, Brooklyn, is also positive, officials said Saturday. An FDNY EMT tested positive earlier in the week.
“A third FDNY member has tested positive for COVID-19. This member contracted the illness through community exposure and has been selfquarantined,” the FDNY said in a statement.
At least 30 FDNY personnel are under quarantine while awaiting a COVID-19 test to determine if they are infected.