NEW YORK — A retired firefighter, who went on to become the head of a specialized team that assisted residents ravaged by disaster, died Monday at the age of 59.
NY Daily News reported that Luis (Pepe) Fragoso, formerly of Ladder 53 in Harlem and Engine 83 in the Brox, died of a heart attack at his home.
The heart attack stemmed from a 9/11-related lung ailment that caused firefighter Fragoso to retire in 2002, according to the report.
Fragoso co-founded the FDNY Disaster Assistance Response Team, or DART, a humanitarian force of active and retired FDNY firefighters who render assistance across the United States with the Red Cross, according to the report.
Fragoso assisted people suffering in the aftermath of the Oklahoma City bombing, Hurricane Hugo and Katrina and other disasters. He was chairman of the team of 100-plus smoke eaters when he died, according to the report.
“(Helping out in Hurricane Hugo) was an outstanding achievement for the FDNY and Fragoso and several others wanted to continue helping others,” Lt. Rico Diaz said.
Services for firefighter Fragoso will begin Monday with a viewing at Farenga Brothers Funeral Home on Allerton Avenue in the Bronx. A funeral Mass will be held in St. Lucy’s Church on Mace Ave. in the Bronx.
In lieu of flowers, donations in Fragoso’s memory can be made to the Red Cross and the Wounded Warrior Project.