Who was Andrew Brokes? 24-year-old Durham firefighter killed in roof collapse during fire

A firefighter died, while two others were injured in a large fire at a building in Durham. Andrew Brokes, died after part of a roof collapse during the blaze at a property on Marly Drive. He had been searching for victims inside the building, according to local authorities. The two injured firefighters were taken to the hospital, and have since been released. Their names have not been released to the public.

The fire was reported around 3:15 am near South Miami Boulevard. The blaze reportedly ripped through the building’s roof and smoke was seen rising from the structure. The property was being used as a residence.

According to authorities, everyone in the building had escaped before firefighters arrived. No occupants were injured. However, firefighters, including Brokes, had been searching for victims on the first floor and became trapped. Durham Fire Chief Robert Zoldos said firefighters had called for additional help after several were trapped.

What is known about the fire and the building?

The State Bureau of Investigation’s arson unit has been requested to probe the cause of the fire. The unit is collecting evidence to determine where the fire originated and the circumstances of the fatal roof collapse.

According to Sky 5 footage, the building suffered severe damage. The footage showed that the property’s roof had mostly collapsed. Three people, present at the scene, told WRAL news that the building had been used as a community home. According to ABC11, the property includes three buildings. They identified the owners as Admiral Properties LLC.

A woman whose father escaped the fire, told ABC11 that the building was lacking in fire safety measures. She said that there were no fire extinguishers, and she saw no smoke detectors in the building. She added that some units did not have any windows.

A man told WRAL News that the building had been rented out to multiple tenants. This included some small apartments as well as space for a small addiction recovery group. The group that met three times a week is now looking for a new place to hold meetings.

Investigators have restricted the building’s access since the fatal fire. There are concerns that additional parts of the structure may collapse.

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Who was Andrew Brokes?

Andrew Brokes had been continuing his family’s tradition of firefighting, according to his obituary. He joined the fire service at just 18 years old. He earned his Emergency Medical Technician certification, furthering his training as a firefighter, after working as a volunteer firefighter in 2021.

Before he joined the Durham Fire Department in May 2025, he worked at Elon, Efland and Swepsonville fire departments, according to the obituary. He had graduated from the Western Alamance High School in 2021,

“Firefighting was more than a job to Andrew, it was his calling and his passion. He loved serving his community and helping others,” the obituary read. It added that Brokes often picked extra shifts at other departments “simply because he wanted to spend more time doing the work he loved.”

Governor Josh Stein had ordered for flags to be lowered to half mast in honour of Brokes.