By Kristen Johnson
The News & Observer
DURHAM, N.C. — Funeral services have been announced for Andrew Brokes, the 24-year-old Durham firefighter who died while searching for victims inside a burning building early Thursday.
Brokes’ family remembers him as a “hero” who stood up to bullies and cheered when fire engines roared past.
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“I’m grateful that the world now knows him as one, too,” his cousin Katie Brokes said, The News & Observer previously reported.
The Durham Fire Department said Brokes will be honored in his hometown of Burlington this week. Visitation is scheduled for 4 p.m. Friday, Oct. 16 , at Lamb’s Chapel, 3539 Alamance Road . The funeral is the Saturday, Oct. 17 , at 4 p.m. Saturday at the same location.
The public is welcome to attend, the department said.
What we know about the fatal fire
Firefighters responded about 3:15 a.m. Oct. 8 to a 911 call reporting a fire at 410 Marly Drive , near U.S. 70 in southeastern Durham , the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation said in a statement.
Brokes was fatally injured while searching for victims, the city said. Two other firefighters, whose names have not been released, were injured and taken to Duke University Hospital for treatment. They have since been released. No one else was injured.
The SBI’s arson unit is collecting evidence to determine the fire’s origin and cause, and the circumstances of the fatal collapse.
ABC11, The News & Observer’s media partner, reviewed property records listing two buildings on the property as commercial buildings and one as a converted dwelling.
Melissa Reyes, whose father escaped the fire, spoked with ABC11 and described the living conditions in the building. Reyes said some units did not have windows and that she did not see a fire extinguisher, smoke detector, or other fire safety measures in the building.
Who was Andrew Brokes ?
According to his obituary, Brokes “proudly continued his family’s tradition of firefighting, joining the fire service at just 18 years old.” In 2021, he worked as a volunteer firefighter while earning his Emergency Medical Technician certification and furthering his training to be a firefighter.
Before joining the Durham Fire Department in May 2025, he worked at Elon, Efland and Swepsonville fire departments, according to his obituary. In Durham, Brokes was assigned to Fire Station 13 on Tower Company 5.
“Firefighting was far more than a job to Andrew,” according to his obituary. “It was his calling and his passion. He loved serving his community and helping others, often picking up extra shifts at other departments simply because he wanted to spend more time doing the work he loved. His commitment to the fire service reflected the very heart of who he was — a young man who found purpose in being there for others, especially when they needed him most.”
Gov. Josh Stein ordered all flags to be lowered to half-staff across the state to honor Brokes.
“May his memory be a blessing,” he said.
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