An empty feeling

By Matt Petaccio
Times Staff Writer

The men and women of the Philadelphia Fire Department are trying to comprehend and cope with the loss of two of their own by a smoky fire that engulfed a two-story house in Port Richmond on Friday night.
The firefighters, 32-year veteran Capt. John D. Taylor, and Rey Rubio, a member of the department for 12 years, were responding to a call on the 3600 block of Belgrade St. and became trapped in the basement during firefighting efforts.
"The fire department lost two good members," said Lt. David Linn, of Ladder 10 at Kensington and Castor avenues, on Monday. "And when you know the individuals personally, it’s a sad feeling. I’ve had a sad feeling in my gut. It’s like you can’t believe it happened."
Taylor and Rubio were stationed at Engine Co. 28 at Belgrade and Ontario streets, a firehouse on the potential list of city cutbacks. Taylor, 53, a resident of the Northeast who recently battled to save some city firehouses from the threat of budget cuts, had been with Engine 28 for about nine months.
The 42-year-old Rubio, who lived in North Philadelphia, was transferred to Engine Co. 28 five months ago. He had been stationed at Ladder 22, Front and Luzerne streets, for 12 years.
As the Times went to press, services were being held on Wednesday for Taylor at St. Albert the Great Church on Welsh Road. Services for Rubio were set for today at Incarnation Roman Catholic Church in North Philadelphia.
At about 8 on Friday night, the fire started inside 3630 Belgrade St. and eventually led to about 56 firefighters being dispatched to the site. Taylor and Rubio were engulfed by smoke and flames while in the basement, attempting to locate the origin of the fire.
"From what I know so far, they got down there — they were looking for the fire," said Thomas O’Drain, president of Local 22, the city firefighters union. "You gotta realize, these things are very smoky, visibility is low. They got tangled up in some wires and they got trapped down there. When the captain realized that he was not going to be able to escape, he ordered a rookie firefighter out of the basement and stayed with Rubio, trying to untangle him. After the rookie left the basement, we really don’t know what happened."
A medical examiner’s report concluded that Taylor and Rubio died of asphyxiation.
"Friday night, in all the confusion, I knew there were firefighters down," said O’Drain. "I just arrived back from the (union) International convention in Boston on Friday night. I sat down to talk to my wife. And around eight o’clock, the calls started coming over the broadcast.
"I went straight to the fire ground and over to Northeastern (Hospital) — I thought both firefighters were transferred to Northeastern," he explained. "But when I got there I found out it was only John. I walked in the room and just lost it . . . I broke down."
The fire marshal’s office attributed the fire to "combustibles too close to an electrical appliance," in conjunction with an alleged illegal marijuana-growing operation in the basement of the house.
The homeowner, Daniel Brough, 35, has been charged with third-degree murder, involuntary manslaughter, possession of marijuana and causing a catastrophe.
According to O’Drain, Brough had marijuana plants growing under the basement steps, and the lamps used to grow the plants started the fire.
"I know that, in the basement, the firefighters that reached them (Taylor and Rubio) first had a very hard time freeing them up, because they were all tangled up in the wires," said O’Drain. "Rey Rubio had a little ax tool hanging on his belt, and he got caught up on the basement steps. They actually had to break the step with an ax to get them free. They were doing this all in the dark — there’s no visibility in these kinds of fires."
The mood at Engine Co. 28 will never be the same, as personnel and friends mourned not only their own loss, but the loss of the families of two firefighters.
"He was a great ballplayer, a great firefighter, a great family man — I couldn’t say enough about the guy," Lt. Linn said of Taylor. He worked with Taylor for more than 20 years and played alongside him on fire department softball teams.
Rubio was known around the firehouse for his sense of humor and his work ethic. "He had a good sense of humor, and he did whatever he had to do to keep up with his training," said Walter Milewski, an Engine 28 firefighter. "It’s just sad — everybody’s just sad — it’s two of your own. You think about their families, and all the good things the captain and Rey did, and it’s just not right."
O’Drain had much respect for Taylor.
"He was a little bit on the short side, but he was a bull," O’Drain said. "He was a great firefighter. I was in awe when I watched him work; I was in awe of the kind of firefighter he was. He’s a guy that never complained. Any kind of work that needed to be done in the station — he was the first guy up to do it. And I tried to follow his example, and other guys like him."
The tragedy comes at a time when several fire companies throughout the city have been threatened with closures or personnel transfers because of budget cuts. However, for now, a final decision on potential cutbacks in the department, intended to save about $7 million, has been postponed as the result of a court order issued on June 25.
"I think it’s a disgrace," Linn said of the potential cuts. "They talk about terrorism in this country, and they’re going to close firehouses down — I just don’t think it’s right. If anything, they should give us more firefighters. When an emergency happens, you want the people there. You don’t want to have to try to call them in because you don’t have enough people there to work.
"I think it’s the wrong time to make any kind of cutbacks," he added. "The city is absolutely wrong in trying to close this station right here (Engine 28). It shows you how important it is — there was a fire right up the street. . . ."
Mercer Street resident James Clark expressed his outrage over last week’s fire deaths. "I think it’s very rotten what happened to the firemen," he said.
Clark witnessed the aftermath of the fire, as upset neighbors gathered to deal with what they had just seen. When Clark’s wife heard the news of the deaths, he said, it took everything in her power to hold back the tears.
"I don’t think they should (cut back services) at all after that, because more houses could have went up," he said. "I think it’s important to have these men."
Tilton Street resident Jennifer Gill said that residents feel gratitude for the work of the firefighters.
"It was sad," she said, holding the hand of her daughter Ashley. "Mayor Street wanted to get rid of some of our firefighters, and two of them died to save somebody else. . . . Why would you want to do that? We need them to put out the fires and do what they have to do. That’s why they’re firefighters.
"It’s such a loss. I walk by here every day, and my daughter — when the fire engine comes down the street — they always wave to her."
Street, meanwhile, chastised critics this week who have opposed the planned cuts, contending that they have seized the Port Richmond incident to politicize the issue of firehouse cuts.
"I don’t know what the mayor’s feelings are right now," O’Drain said. "I was going to reach out to him and have a sit-down with him and ask him to do away with this plan to close these companies.
"Port Richmond needs Engine 28 . . . there’s no doubt about that in mind." ••