Massachusetts Firefighter Deaths: 3 Active-Duty Firefighters Lost in 13 Days

The Massachusetts fire service is mourning the unexpected deaths of three active-duty firefighters in recent weeks, a stretch that state fire union leadership has described as one of the hardest in memory. Two of the deaths were announced within 48 hours of each other, by departments in Marshfield and Taunton, following an earlier loss in Quincy earlier in the month. No cause of death has been made public in any of the three cases.

Marshfield: Capt. William Shields

On Monday, August 17, the Marshfield Fire Department announced the death of Capt. William Shields, a longtime firefighter and paramedic. Fire Chief Michael LaSelva said the death was unexpected but did not disclose a cause in the department's press release.

Shields began his career with Marshfield as a call firefighter before being appointed full-time in 2005, later rising through the ranks to lieutenant and captain. He also served as the department's training coordinator and lead mechanic, overseeing apparatus readiness, and worked as an EMT-paramedic. "He was a dedicated public servant, a trusted colleague, and a member of the Marshfield community who devoted countless hours to keeping others safe," LaSelva said.

Taunton: Firefighter Kyle Machado

Shields' death came one day after the Taunton Fire Department announced the unexpected passing of Firefighter Kyle Machado on Sunday, August 16. Machado had joined the Taunton Fire Department in April and was a husband and father of two. Before becoming a firefighter, he served in the U.S. Navy. The department said funeral arrangements were not yet finalized and did not release a cause of death.

Quincy: Firefighter Brian Snow

The two South Shore losses followed an earlier death in Quincy. Firefighter Brian Snow died on August 2 at age 47; the Quincy Firefighters Association Local 792 described his passing as an "active duty death." Snow had served with the Quincy Fire Department since September 2019, after 13 years with the Hull Fire Department, and also worked as a paramedic and EMT instructor. His funeral Mass was held August 4 at Saint John the Baptist Church in Quincy.

A Difficult Stretch for the State's Fire Service

The losses have prompted an outpouring of condolences from unions and departments across Massachusetts. "The past 48 hours have been an extremely difficult and emotional time for the Massachusetts fire service," Mansfield Firefighters Local 1820 said in a statement, extending condolences to the Taunton and Marshfield departments. The Scituate Firefighters Local 1464 echoed the sentiment, urging members to look out for one another: "The fire service is a brotherhood and sisterhood that extends far beyond the walls of our own stations. When one of us is hurting, we all feel it."

None of the three departments has publicly attributed a cause to the deaths, and no line-of-duty determination has been announced in any of the three cases as of this writing. We'll continue to update this article as departments share further information.