Forever a hero
Rockland County firefighter’s body found in rubble
The body of a volunteer firefighter killed while searching for an elderly resident inside a burning Rockland County assisted living home was recovered early Wednesday by fellow first responders after a heartbreaking search through the rubble, officials said.
Jared Lloyd, a 15-year veteran of the Spring Valley Fire Department, became trapped on the third floor of Evergreen Court for Adults after responding to the inferno that killed one senior citizen resident. The firefighter’s body was found in the building rubble about 24 hours after the blaze was reported just before 1 a.m. Tuesday, officials said.
“Jared Lloyd gave his life in service to others,” said Rockland County Executive Ed Day. “He searched the burning building, determined to rescue anyone who had been trapped. His loss is devastating. There is no other way to put it. But I will tell you this, his loss and heroism will never be forgotten.”
Lloyd’s body was taken from the scene as a long line of fire vehicles, their lights flashing in the darkness, accompanied his remains to the county medical examiner’s office, officials said.
The first responder sent out a Mayday call as he searched for a female resident inside the burning building. His firefighting comrades were unable to reach Lloyd through the raging flames.
“This incident shows how fleeting life can be,” Day said.
Lloyd left behind two sons: 5-year-old Darius and older brother Logan, who turned 6 on the day his dad’s body was discovered. The firefighter’s father, Calvin Lloyd, a retired 40-year NYPD veteran, recalled his son as a huge Mets fan, a devoted dad and a dedicated first responder.
“I think of him as a great kid of mine, a great father, a great firefighter,” the father told the Rockland/Westchester Journal News. “You know, he took that very seriously. He used to tell me about the parades and stuff, and I used to come up and he was so proud. He was so proud to wear that uniform.”
Lloyd and fellow members of the Spring Valley Fire Department were the first on the scene after a report of smoke and fire alarms going off inside the building. A total of 26 local departments were eventually summoned to battle the fierce flames.
The resident killed in the fire was not yet identified. Authorities said a second building resident remained in critical condition Wednesday, while 12 others were taken to area hospitals. A firefighter was also hospitalized overnight.
An investigation to determine the cause of the blaze was underway, authorities said.
Lloyd was located around 1 a.m. Wednesday as crews worked around the clock searching for his body in the charred remains of the building in Spring Valley. Firefighters, along with police and building staff, steered all but one of the 112 residents to safety, including many trapped inside the building by the flames.
The raging fire eventually caused a partial building collapse, with massive flames shooting from doors and windows as the blaze burned in the night.
“This is an extraordinarily difficult time for the fire services within Rockland County,” said
Clarkstown Supervisor George Hoehmann on Facebook early Wednesday. “Our thoughts and prayers are with the bravest and the fellow firefighters of Spring Valley who lost a brother today.”
Between 25 and 30 residents were saved by first responders, with some of the rescued carried from the flames or led through the smoke to safety, officials said.