A $20,000 donation will allow for the construction of a memorial to honor fallen Worcester Firefighter Christopher Roy, who died last year battling a blaze on Lowell Street.
The bronze memorial is planned for the Webster Square Fire Station where 36-year-old Roy was assigned to Ladder 4, Group 3. He joined the department about 2 and a half years before his death.
Roy became trapped inside a multi-family home at 5-7 Lowell St. while fighting a fire on Dec. 9. Even though fellow firefighters were able to eventually pull Roy from the blaze, the firefighter succumbed to his injuries.
Last month, the Greater Worcester Community Foundation established the Worcester Memorials Care Fund through a $20,000 gift from the Kraft Family Foundation, according to city documents.
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That fund will allow for the construction of the memorial for Roy as well as quarterly maintenance and repairs to all of the city’s fire memorials, documents read.
Worcester’s City Council approved a resolution to accept the donation during its meeting Tuesday night.
Roy left his young daughter, Ava, who he cherished and took on trips to Disney, colleagues recalled at his funeral service in December. A fund to support Ava has raised thousands.
Momoh Kamara, a 22-year-old who used to live at 5-7 Lowell St., has been charged with second-degree murder, arson and burglary in connection with the blaze and Roy’s death. Investigators say he rode an Uber to the scene and set a fire in the building’s basement.
Kamara is awaiting trial in Worcester Superior Court.
Roy’s death came during a grueling month for the Worcester Fire Department.
This December will mark 20 years since the Cold Storage Warehouse Fire claimed the lives of six firefighters on Dec. 3, 1999. Those killed are known as the “Worcester Six” and include Lt. Thomas Spencer, Lt. Timothy Jackson Sr., Lt. James Lyons III and Firefighters Jeremiah Lucey, Paul Brotherton and Joseph McGuirk.
In 2011, Firefighter Jon D. Davies Sr. died from Dec. 8 fire inside an Arlington Street three-decker.
Earlier this year, the department saw another line-of-duty death.
Lt. John Kennedy died in July from injuries suffered in the line of duty. A 21-year veteran of the department, Kennedy was a member of Rescue 1 Group 2, the Dive Rescue and Special Operations teams, and the State District 3 Hazmat Team. He was also an instructor at the Massachusetts Firefighting Academy in Stow.
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