He died while fighting a fire on August 11, 2021.
Frederick, Md. (DG) – On Friday, Frederick County’s Division of Fire and Rescue Services released an after-action report on the death of Battalion Chief Joshua Laird last year.
On August 11, 2021, Laird was battling a two-alarm house fire on Ball Road when he fell through the first floor into the basement and later died from his injuries.
“The report really goes in depth evaluating the operational performance on the incident scene that day as well as division policy and procedure and organizational structure. There’s a number of recommendations made that really span that gambit. Everything from increasing staffing to modifying policies and updating policies to increase training,” said Fire Chief Tom Coe.
The fire started after lightening struck the house. According to the report, the lightning strike caused a failure of the corrugated stainless steel tubing gas line in the space between the trusses that supported the first floor of the house.
Sara Laird attended the press conference, and said her husband lived a life of service.
“My husband loved being a Firefighter, he lived a life of service both at work and at home. He loved serving the citizens of Frederick County. He was dedicated to his job, continuously seeking additional training and education to ensure he would function at the highest levels as possible,” Laird said.
After the tragic loss of her husband, the Tunnel to Towers foundation paid off their mortgage.
Sara Laird said she plans to organize a 5-K race in Frederick County to help give back to the organization.