Crime & Safety
Fallen Wethersfield FF Killed Fighting Berlin Brush Fire Honored
The Berlin Volunteer FD Sunday added the name of the Wethersfield man killed fighting the massive fall brush fire to its fallen FF memorial.
BERLINWETHERSFIELD, CT — Area firefighters gathered in Berlin Sunday for a ceremony to honor the memory of a fallen Wethersfield firefighter who died battling a massive brush fire last year.
Wethersfield Volunteer Fire Department firefighter Robert Sharkevich Sr., 66, lost his life trying to contain a large brush fire in Berlin last fall.
Sharkevich was killed Oct. 22 when the UTV firefighting vehicle he was in overturned on Lamentation Mountain, which had been ravaged by a massive brush fire that week.
Find out what's happening in Berlinfor free with the latest updates from Patch.
On Sunday, Sept. 28, the Berlin Volunteer Fire Department honored Sharkevich by putting his name on the fallen firefighters memorial at the BFVD firehouse on 1657 Berlin Turnpike.
Also on Sunday, Sharkevich's name was added to the state fallen firefighters memorial at the Connecticut Fire Academy in Windsor Locks.
Find out what's happening in Berlinfor free with the latest updates from Patch.
Family members, Lt. Robert Sharkevich Jr., Sharkevich's son, and Deputy Chief Gary Sharkevich, Sharkevich's brother, placed a memorial wreath on the monument, WVFD Chief Brian J. Schroll said.
Members of the Wethersfield Fire Department and many members of the Sharkevich family joined Berlin firefighters at a memorial service at the Berlin firehouse.
That same day, a memorial bench was placed in Sharkevich's honor on Sea Green Drive, a residential community that was near the fire on Lamentation Mountain.
WVFD Chief Brian J. Schroll thanked the Berlin firefighting community for remembering Sharkevich and for Sunday's ceremony.
"Words cannot express the thanks to the Town of Berlin fire departments, who have been shoulder to shoulder with this department and conducted this ceremony, (BVFD) Chief (James) Simons, who was the master of ceremonies for today's event, and the Sea Green community," wrote Schroll.
Several local dignitaries were also in attendance, including Berlin Mayor Mark Kaczynski.
From Oct. 23, 2024: 'Wethersfield Community Mourns Loss Of Beloved Firefighter'
From Oct. 22, 2024: 'Berlin Brush Fire: Firefighter Mourned As Blaze Still Burns: UPDATE'
Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.
