EMMITSBURG, Md. — A public viewing Monday in Emmitsburg for the Frederick County firefighter killed in the line of duty last week.
Battalion Chief Joshua Laird died when a floor collapsed while he was fighting a house fire in Ijamsville.
A ceremonial procession that started in Taneytown and traveled to Gettysburg and then to Laird’s hometown of Fairfield, Pennsylvania this morning arrived at Mount St. Mary’s University’s PNC Sports complex this afternoon.
The 46-year-old Laird had spent nearly half of his life, 21 years, with Frederick County Fire and Rescue, and he leaves behind a wife and two daughters.
“It always does feel like family,” said Ivan Browning of the Mount Airy Volunteer Fire Company, “Me, personally, we’ve run calls over the years through mutual aid with Carroll and Frederick County. It’s just tragic to hear what happened, but you want to come out and support the family and all of his brother and sister firefighters that are going through this hard time.”
The public viewing continues until eight o’clock tonight, and the funeral service begins here Tuesday afternoon at one o’clock.
