By Natalie Walker
Daily Record
Copyright 2007 Scottish Daily Record & Sunday Mail Ltd.
AYRSHIRE, Scotland — A firefighter died hours after battling a blaze.
Tom Brown, 53, collapsed after he helped put out the fire at a house.
The fireman, who had 28 years’ experience, was taken to hospital but was pronounced dead hours later.
A fire brigade spokesman said Tom, of Troon, Ayrshire, had suffered a heart attack.
He was one of four firefighters who entered the house in Irvine on Tuesday morning wearing breathing apparatus to put out the blaze.
Firefighters from his green watch division, who are based at Kilwinning Fire Station in Ayrshire, were shocked by Tom’s death.
They told how the fireman collapsed just seconds after coming out of the house.
Colleagues at the scene gave him oxygen as they waited for an ambulance.
Brian Sweeney, chief officer of Strathclyde Fire and Rescue, yesterday described Tomas a popular member of staff.
He also paid tribute to the three decades of service he gave to the fire service.
Sweeney said: “Tom was a very able firefighter and also very popular in the service.
“He was also well known in sporting circles, particularly at Rugby Park where he took photographs for Kilmarnock FC at their home matches.
“Everyone at Strathclyde Fire and Rescue is shocked by Tom’s passing.
“His last act was, typically, to protect the community by tackling one of the many house fires he would have encountered in his career.”
Tom’s partner, Natalie, and stepdaughters, Natasha and Jessica, were being comforted by relatives yesterday.
They were too upset to talk about the tragedy.
Tom joined Strathclyde Fire Brigade in February 1979.
He served for 20 years at Johnstone, Renfrewshire, before moving to Kilwinning eight years ago.
Derek Davidson, Tom’s station manager at Kilwinning, said the crew had been tackling the last fire of their shift when the firefighter fell ill.
The crew had been called to afire in an upstairs bedroom.
Mr Davidson said: “Everyone at the station is upset about Tom’s death.
“The job he was on was the last one before his crew were due to go off for a few days.”