Funeral Details Released For Fallen MD Firefighter Chris Higgins

PASADENA, MD — Fallen Montgomery County Master Firefighter Christopher J. Higgins will be remembered at several public and private services next week following his death in the line of duty.

Higgins, 46, of Pasadena, died on Jan. 11 while his Montgomery County Fire and Rescue crew was battling a house fire on Bradford Drive in Prince George’s County. A news release from the fire department said Higgins suffered a "medical event" as crews fought a fire in a carport, which led to his death.

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Higgins was a 22-year veteran of the Montgomery County Fire and Rescue Service and had been assigned to Fire Station 15 since 2015. He is survived by his wife, Lisa, and their two young children.

A public viewing will be held on Jan. 23 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Light House Church, located at 6691 Baymeadow Drive, Ste. 200, in Glen Burnie. A fire department memorial service will be held immediately following the viewing from 1 to 3 p.m.

The following services are private and reserved for family, friends, Montgomery County personnel and Anne Arundel County personnel only:

Viewings

• Jan. 21 & 22: McCully Polyniak & Collins Funeral Home, 3204 Mountain Rd., Pasadena. 3-9 p.m.

Wake

• Jan. 24: Earleigh Heights Volunteer Fire Department, 161 Ritchie Hwy., Severna Park.

Private Funeral & Burial

• Jan. 24: Glenhaven Memorial Park, 7231 Ritchie Hwy Suite E., Glen Burnie.

Battalion Chief Rafael Gibson, of the MCFRS Fire & Rescue Training Academy and a longtime colleague of Higgins, said at a news conference that he was a “fireman’s fireman. Chris was loved. Chris was a fireman’s fireman. One of our best,” Gibson said, according to WTOP.

In addition to serving as a firefighter in Montgomery County, Higgins volunteered in Earliegh Heights in Anne Arundel County.

“To our community, we are still here for you; even during this tough time, we are going to still ensure that we are protecting our community,” Montgomery County Fire Chief Corey Smedley said. “I just ask that things that happen over the next couple of days, you bear with us, it is going to be a very difficult time for each and every one of us.”