Former Calgary Fire Chief dies of lung transplant complications

Former Calgary Fire Chief Bruce Burrell passed away on Monday, March 11, 2024 from lung transplant complications. (GoFundMe)

By Lauryn Heintz

Posted Mar 13, 2024 9:47 am.

The man who served as Calgary’s fire chief for nine years, including during the 2013 floods, has died.

Bruce Burrell was the head of the city’s fire department from 2005 to 2014 and passed away Monday from lung transplant complications, his wife Jennifer said online.

He was 65.

In June 2017, Burrell was diagnosed with Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis (IPF), according to a GoFundMe page.

The diagnosis was terminal and had very little options for treatment.

IPF causes many symptoms including shortness of breath, chronic cough, chest tightness and loss of energy.

Jennifer says Burrell “fought death up to this final breath” and that she has “never known a stronger will to live.”

In a post to X, the Canadian Association of Fire Chiefs (CAFC) confirmed his passing, saying the former Fire Chief of the Year “brought a degree of dedication unmatched by many to firefighter safety.”

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