Captain Baldwin died January 20, 1880.

Photo taken February 18, 1997 by: Don Van Holt

(Engine 216s old quarters still stands today.)

The old firehouse was mentioned in the best-selling novel, "A Tree Grows in Brooklyn", which was later made into a classic movie. Engine 16 was intergrated into the FDNY on Jan. 1, 1898. On October 1, 1899, Engine 16 was renumbered to Engine 116. Fourteen years later, on January 1,1913, Engine co. 116 was renumbered Engine Co. 216, as it is known today.

During the 125 years only one member's life was lost, that of Capt. William Baldwin, the first member of the Brooklyn Fire Department to be killed in the line of duty. Capt. Baldwin was killed by the falling walls of the Otto Huber Brewery on Jan. 14, 1880. A striking monument stands over the grave where Captain Baldwin was laid to rest in Evergreen Cemetary in Bushwick, Brooklyn.

On or about the year 1856 the Evergreens Cememetery Corp. (718-455-5300)

1629 Bushwick Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11207

voluntarliy presented to the Williamsburg Fire Department a plot of ground as a gift

with a proviso that the fireman construct an enclosure and erect a monument therein.

There are at least 20 firemen buried there in a circle around the monument.

Has anyone been there lately?

The rig will fit in the roadway and the entrance is on Buchwick Avenue at Conway Street.

All 775 Line of Duty Deaths compiled by dispatcher Mike Boucher at S.I.CO

Sorted by unit and date.