Firefighter Kevin Bell, Hartford Fire Department killed in house fire
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Steven Goode & Nicholas Rondinone, Hartford Courant:
Hartford firefighter Kevin Bell was killed and three others were injured fighting a house fire on Blue Hills Avenue Tuesday night.
Bell, 48 and a member of the department for six years, came to firefighting relatively late in life, inspired by a relative, according to his father Manuel Gomes.
“He saw how [retired Hartford chief] Charlie [Teale] came up through the ranks and made chief,” Gomes said Wednesday. “I would always see him talking to Charlie.”
Gomes said Teale, who is his cousin, showed Bell how to apply for the academy, but left the rest to him.
“He mentored him but everything Kevin did he did for himself,” Gomes said. “I was very proud of him”
Bell, who is six-year veteran of the Hartford Fire Department, was born and raised in the capital city.
“Gentleman is a true hero, will not be forgotten,” Segarra said.
Another firefighter suffered burns on 10 percent of his/her body and was taken to the Bridgeport burn unit. Two other firefighters were also injured. Those three firefighters were expected to be OK.
The devastating loss is the first line of duty death in 40 years, and the last line of duty death in Hartford was Tommy Fisher in 1974.
Manuel Gomes, Bell’s father, said his 48-year-old son was attracted to firefighting late in life because of his cousin, former Hartford Fire Chief Charles Teale.
Gomes said Bell leaves behind a wife, Wayette Bell, and two daughters. He signed up for the firefighter academy six years ago and passed with flying colors.
Gomes said Bell’s is passion was music. He was a DJ and music producer who would play gigs at downtown clubs like Vibes and Ragin Cajun.
