Billy Burke

William Francis Burke Jr. (March 9, 1955 September 11, 2001) was a fire captain with the Fire Department of New York, who was killed in the September 11 attacks. Burke died when he chose to stay with stranded civilians in the North Tower of the World Trade Center. Burke was the only member of Engine 21 who died in the attacks.

Life and career William Francis Burke Jr. was born in New York City on March 9, 1955 to William Francis Burke Sr. and Agnes Burke. The second of six children, Burke grew up in Plainview, New York.

Inspired by his father, who worked as Deputy Fire Chief for the New York City Fire Department, Billy served as a firefighter for two decades prior to the September 11 attacks. Burke resided in Stuyvesant Town in Manhattan.

Outside of work, Burke had multiple hobbies and interests. Burke was an avid photographer and wrote short stories in his spare time. Burke was fascinated in the American Civil War. Burke's sister, Dr. Elizabeth Berry, remarked that he had enough knowledge of the war to give tours of the Gettysburg Battlefield.

Death Burke and his company, Engine 21, responded to American Airlines Flight 11 striking the North Tower of the World Trade Center. The unit was dispatched to the World Trade Center at 9:00a.m. and arrived at the site at 9:17a.m. Their rig parked on Vesey Street, partially below a pedestrian underpass. Burke and numerous other firefighters gathered in the lobby of the North Tower were captured on camera by filmmaker Jules Naudet.

Fire Lieutenant Gregg Hansson met Burke for the first time the morning of the attack, and was the last surviving person to see Burke. He believed Burke knew the building's collapse was inevitable and knew he was sacrificing his own life. In 2004, the portion of East 40th Street between Second and Third avenues in Manhattan (adjacent to Engine 21) was designated as "Captain William F. Burke Jr. FDNY Street."

At the National September 11 Memorial & Museum, Burke is memorialized on Panel S-18 at the South Pool, along with other first responders. The damaged remains of the fire truck that carried Burke and the other men of Engine 21 to the World Trade Center site is on display at the museum.