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Fire Lt. Dillion Rinaldo succumbed to his injuries Tuesday night, Oct. 24, five days after a rowhouse blaze claimed the life of a fellow smoke eater whom he and his colleagues had gone back in to save.
"To the Rinaldo family, we are at a loss for words," the Fair Lawn Fire Department wrote in a social media post.
"Your son Dillon will never be forgotten," the post reads. "He had the biggest heart and would literally help anyone in need. All who knew him would agree."
Baltimore's fire department echoed those sentiments, citing an "incredible legacy of bravery and honor and courage to fight."
Rinaldo "was one of the good guys," a post from the department reads. "His bravery and commitment will never be forgotten."
The strapping hero had been hospitalized at Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center with what colleagues in Fair Lawn said were severe burns over 60% of his body following the Oct. 19 fire.
He was listed in critical but stable condition over the weekend, but things worsened.
Rodney Pitts III, who'd served with Baltimore's bravest just over a year, died in last Thursday's fire. His funeral is scheduled for this Friday.
Three other firefighters were injured. Two have already been released from the hospital. One remains.
The U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives is helping Baltimore arson investigators determine what ignited the fast-moving fire.
Rinaldo, whose father, Ralph, is a Fair Lawn deputy fire chief, fought for six years with Company 4 in the Bergen County borough where he grew up before joining the Baltimore Fire Department in 2018.
Fair Lawn Fire Lt. Scott Greco called Rinaldo "the most selfless individual anyone knows," in a GoFundMe campaign that has raised more than $100,000 as of Wednesday morning.
Rinaldo, Greco said, was "always willing to help with anything, putting others before himself."
He got engaged earlier this year and was to be married to Lauren Ridlon on May 17, 2024.
Fair Lawn Fire Chief Jacob Mamo reaffirmed his department's commitment to Ridlon, Rinaldo's father and the rest of his family.
“The older members remember Dillon growing up as a firehouse kid," Mamo said Wednesday. "Most of us served with him a few years back and of course we are all reminded of his presence since his father is an active member.
"This will be a very tough time for the department and the community as we have lost a great firefighter, a great person, and a great friend.”
"Our hearts are heavy today as we mourn the loss of a true hero," Baltimore's fire department wrote in a post.
"LT Rinaldo, of Engine 46, who spent the greater part of his career at Engine 13, dedicated his life to the service of others, selflessly putting himself in harm's way to ensure the safety of our loved ones," the post reads.
"We extend our deepest condolences to LT Rinaldo’s family, friends, and our fellow BCFD firefighters during this difficult time," it says. "Our thoughts and prayers are with everyone as we navigate through this immense grief."
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