By MES Dispatch Staff
The Briefing
- • A funeral service for Boston Fire Department Rescue 2 Firefighter Robert “BK” Kilduff Jr. was held June 2, 2026, at The Cathedral of the Holy Cross in Boston, drawing hundreds inside the church and thousands lining Washington Street outside.
- • Kilduff died after falling three stories during a Dorchester residential building fire when a portion of the structure collapsed; fellow firefighters and department officials credited him with warning colleagues to back away moments before the collapse, an action credited with preventing additional injuries or deaths.
- • All five residents of the building escaped the fire alive.
- • Kilduff served as a member of Rescue 2, one of two specialized technical rescue units in the Boston Fire Department, and was also active in union advocacy and community volunteer work.
- • He is survived by his daughter Hanna Jane, 24; his son Mason, 22, an active-duty Marine; and his longtime girlfriend Jess Spruell.
BOSTON, Mass. — Hundreds of mourners filled The Cathedral of the Holy Cross in Boston on June 2, 2026, to pay tribute to Boston Fire Department Rescue 2 Firefighter Robert “BK” Kilduff Jr., who died following a three-story fall during a structural collapse at a Dorchester residential fire. Thousands more lined Washington Street outside to render a final salute as the procession concluded.
Kilduff was operating at the scene of the Dorchester fire when he shouted a warning to fellow firefighters to move back moments before a portion of the building gave way and fell. Fellow Rescue 2 firefighter Lt. Greg Kelly described that final act as consistent with how Kilduff approached every aspect of his career and personal life. Department officials and colleagues also credited Kilduff’s actions with helping ensure all five residents of the building were evacuated safely before the collapse.
Boston Fire Commissioner Rodney Marshall described Kilduff as a firefighter who exemplified what it means to be, in the parlance of the department, “a good jake” — and said that Kilduff’s deeper character made him something more. Marshall said Kilduff would have preferred to be remembered not for his career distinctions but as a dedicated father and partner.
Boston Mayor Michelle Wu spoke at the service and stated that because of Kilduff’s actions, five residents of the building would continue to spend time with their families — joining what she described as countless other civilians and fellow first responders whose lives he had affected over the course of his career. Kilduff served on Rescue 2, one of two specialized units in the Boston Fire Department that conducts high-risk technical rescues across the city. He was also known for his work with the firefighters’ union to improve working conditions and for volunteering with organizations including the Gary Sinise Foundation.
Kilduff’s daughter Hanna Jane and son Mason — who, like his father, served as a Marine — both delivered remarks. Hanna Jane described her father as someone who understood the fragility of life and made certain to be present for the people who mattered to him. “He used to say that the only thing he loved more than being a firefighter was being our dad,” she said. Mason described his father as his closest friend and recalled daily phone calls, even during periods of separation during military service. Kilduff’s longtime girlfriend, Jess Spruell, also spoke, reflecting on his capacity for unconditional dedication to others.
At the conclusion of the service, Kilduff’s flag-draped coffin was carried on Engine 42, which had transported him to the cathedral. Bagpipes played as thousands of first responders rendered a final salute.