BANGOR, Maine — Bangor's former fire chief, Robert Burke, passed away Wednesday morning at a hospital in Bangor.
Burke joined the Bangor Fire Department in 1965 and worked his way through the ranks to become chief. Burke led the department as chief from 1982 to 1990.
10 of the 95 firefighters currently serving in the Bangor Fire Department were hired by Burke including their current Cheif Tom Higgins.
According to the Bangor Fire Department, even after retiring as Bangor chief, Burke went on to be chief of the Orono Fire Department from 1990 to 1998 and then served as the Old Town chief from 1999 to 2000.
Bangor City Councilman Joe Baldacci took to social media to offer his gratitude for Burke's decades of public service.