Transcript: Mayor de Blasio, Commissioner Nigro Hold Media Availability at Wyckoff Heights Medical Center

April 20, 2017

Mayor Bill de Blasio: I’m very sorry to report that tragedy has struck our city again and we lost another hero today. FDNY Firefighter William Tolley has passed away – a 14-year veteran of the FDNY. A man dedicated to protecting others gave his life to this work and, like all members of the FDNY, understood every single day he was putting his life on the line, but he did it willingly in service of others. Today, he made the ultimate sacrifice. Our hearts go out to his family. 

Commissioner Nigro and I just spent time with his wife Marie – a painful moment when a loved one learns that this was a last day of the life of someone they loved so deeply. William was only 42-years-old. He has a daughter, Bella, who is only eight years old, and leaves behind, in addition to his wife, Marie, his brother, Bobbie, and both of his parents. 

Everyone is in a state of shock and grief. And, to his family, we say we will stand with you not only today, but in the days ahead, and for years and years to come. This is what the FDNY does – stays by families through everything that comes ahead. 

Our hearts go out as well to all members of the FDNY who are feeling the loss deeply right now, especially the members of Ladder 135 Engine 286 in Ridgewood, where William was stationed. 

Even in the midst of this pain, I want to express our gratitude to everyone at Wyckoff Medical Center for all they have done trying to save his life. I want to thank everyone who has come out in solidarity with his family and his fellow firefighters. Our thanks to Public Advocate Tish James, who’s joined us; Councilmember Antonio Reynoso; Councilmember Elizabeth Crowley; the President of the Uniformed Firefighters Association, Jim Slevin; and the incoming president, Gerard Fitzgerald – we thank them all for gathering with us at this time. 

And now, I’ll turn it to Commissioner Dan Nigro, who will give you an update on this very, very painful situation. 

Commissioner Daniel Nigro, FDNY: Thank you, Mayor. It is a terrible tragedy for a Department that’s certainly known its share – more than its share of tragedies. Firefighter Tolley and his colleagues were called out at 2:20 today for a fire at 16-15 Putnam Avenue. It’s a five-story apartment building. The fire was on the second floor. Firefighter Tolley was operating on the roof – that was his position as the outside ventilation firefighter operating around the area where the Ladder 135’s bucket was located. Firefighter Folley fell five stories from the roof and he perished about 20 minutes into fighting that fire. The circumstances of the tragedy and the fall are right now under investigation by our safety command and by our Bureau of Fire Investigation.

We certainly are – our hearts are primarily with Williams’ wife, Marie, with his daughter, Isabella, with his mom and dad, his brother, and with the members of Ladder 135 and Engine 286 who have lost a dear colleague, a dear brother in a moment. 

It’s a terrible tragedy for the Department, especially on the heels – one month after the death of EMT Yadira Arroyo. Firefighter Tolley is the 1,147th member to die in the line of duty. 

Right now, I’ll answer any questions you may have. 

Question: [Inaudible]

Commissioner Nigro: It’s certainly something that we’ll look at, but it’s too early to say. We’ll investigate any possible cause for this terrible accident. 

Yes?

Question: [Inaudible] 

Commissioner Nigro: That’s – again, that’s part of the investigation. We have to interview the members. We knew he was operating in the area of the bucket at the time. 

Question: [Inaudible] 

Commissioner Nigro: There were other firefighters on the roof. It’s common practice. A fire – of course, heat and smoke rise. Firefighters at any fire will go to the roof, open the doors, and ventilate to save people above the fire. 

Question: Could you spell his first and last name, please?

Commissioner Nigro: William Tolley – T-O-L-L-E-Y.

Question: [Inaudible] 

Commissioner Nigro: As of now, there’s nothing suspicious. The fire was contained to one room of a one-bedroom apartment. It was a serious enough fire, but certainly it was something that was controlled rather quickly by the Department. 

Question: [Inaudible] 

Commissioner Nigro: There was nothing about the fire that really had anything to do with the accident that occurred. It was really in the operation that he was performing on the roof, which is a routine operation for us, and, somehow, he fell from the roof. 

Question: [Inaudible]

Commissioner Nigro: Well, typically, as I said, heat rises, as we all know. People above a fire are in serious danger. Firefighters ventilate from above in order to let the dangerous heated gases exit the building. So, basically, that’s what he does. If he’s called upon – we’ve recently had some roof-rope rescues. Firefighters look around the scene to see if anybody’s in danger at a window, and they can operate in that way too and perform a rescue either from the bucket, the fire escape, or even from a roof-rope, if necessary. 

Question: [Inaudible]

Commissioner Nigro: In this fire, I don’t know if they cut a hole. Frequently, they do cut a hole in the roof to ventilate. 

Question: [Inaudible] 

Commissioner Nigro: There were. There were other firefighters on the roof [inaudible] – that’s the investigation that’s going on now. 

Question: [Inaudible] 

Commissioner Nigro: I do not know. 

Question: [Inaudible] 

Commissioner Nigro: I’d have to get that information. I believe he did, yes –14 years, which would make him a senior firefighter in that unit. 

Question: [Inaudible] 

Commissioner Nigro: The fire was [inaudible] under control, but was mainly extinguished, yes. 

Mayor: Thank you.

Commissioner Nigro: Thank you.