Many Gather In Memory Of Fallen Fighterfighter

Chuck Williams was remembered during a ceremony Saturday.
Friday night his father talked to us about the day his son died.

February 17th, 1997 a call came into fire station number six, that's where a house on South Addison Street in Lexington was on fire.

William's father tells us, " it feels it was yesterday...worst day of my life." That's because Charles Willliams Senior's son, Chuck, responded to the fire.

It looked like a routine fire with high flames and thick smoke. Firefighters Chuck Williams and Gerry Ray went inside believing someone was trapped.

Turns out they became trapped in the burning fire themselves. One firefighter was pulled out, but Chuck Williams Jr. didn't make it.

"He was a real fire man he loved to do things for people, he had a passion for life," Williams said.

At the time the city honored the firefighter killed in the line of duty, but 8 months later the investigation ended up in a courtroom when the fire was ruled arson.

Gerald Shipman was later convicted for setting the fire which killed Williams.

Today the community paused again to pay respects 10 years after the tragic loss.

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