NY firefighter killed in Bronx explosion posthumously promoted

NEW YORK (WTXF/AP) - The New York Fire Department battalion chief killed in Tuesday's explosion in the Bronx is being posthumously promoted to the rank of Deputy Chief. That's the highest civil service promotional achievement in the FDNY.

Mayor Bill de Blasio and Fire Commissioner Daniel A. Nigro made the announcement about Michael J. Fahy on Thursday.

Fahy, a 17-year veteran of the Department, passed the exam for Deputy Chief in 2013 and had been on the list for promotion to that title.

He was killed by falling debris while directing operations from the street. He'd been supervising an evacuation following a report of a gas leak at the two-story house.

Wednesday, the New York Police Department said it arrested a man in connection with the house explosion. Manhattan resident Garivaldi Castillo is charged with criminal possession of marijuana. Police have not said how he's connected to the Bronx explosion.

Authorities are looking into whether the building that exploded was being used to grow marijuana and police are questioning another man for possible ties to the explosion.

Fahy - the father of three -- was the 1,145th f irefighter to die in the line of duty since the FDNY's founding in 1865. The last member of the department to die on duty was Lt. Gordan M. Ambelas of Ladder 119 on July 5, 2014.