Ex-Fair Lawn firefighter dies from injuries in fire
Baltimore blaze’s death toll rises to 2
Rinaldo grew up as a “firehouse kid,” Mamo said, spending lots of time in the department alongside his father, Ralph, a former chief and current deputy chief.
A former Fair Lawn firefighter has died from injuries sustained while battling a fire in Baltimore last week, the Fair Lawn department announced Wednesday morning.
Baltimore City Fire Lt. Dillon Rinaldo died Tuesday night, Fair Lawn Fire Chief Jacob Mamo said in a post on the department’s Facebook page.
He had been hospitalized since last Thursday after responding to a blaze encompassing multiple rowhouses in the city.
“This will be a very tough time for the department and the community as we have lost a great firefighter, a great person, and a great friend,” Mamo said.
Rinaldo grew up as a “firehouse kid,” Mamo said, spending lots of time in the department alongside his father, Ralph, a former chief and current deputy chief. He later served six years in the volunteer department himself before being hired in Baltimore.
Rinaldo was one of two firefighters killed in Thursday’s fire; authorities confirmed the death of his colleague Rodney Pitts III in the hours after the blaze.
Three other firefighters were also hospitalized, but two were released the next day, officials said.
Rinaldo was recently engaged and had just adopted a puppy with his fiancée, according to a GoFundMe campaign created during his hospital stay. The online initiative had generated more than $115,000 as of Wednesday afternoon.
The Fair Lawn Police Department offered condolences to the Rinaldo family on Facebook, assuring his parents that their son would “never be forgotten.”
“He had the biggest heart and would literally help anyone in need,” the department said.
“All who knew him would agree.”