For the Bury family, firefighting is in the genes.
Family patriarch Robert Bury Sr. has volunteered for the Lansdowne station in Baltimore County for more than 30 years. His wife, Cynthia, is a career paramedic, as is his daughter, Melissa, who recently married a firefighter. His 20-year-old son, Robby, is also a volunteer firefighter, and his youngest son, 11-year-old Matthew, is a junior cadet firefighter.
But the family that has devoted its lives to saving others was struck by its own tragedy, when a fire ravaged Robert and Cynthia?s home in the 2700 block of Alderwood Avenue just after 1 a.m. Nov. 6. Robert Bury?s mother, 70-year-old Myrtle Bury, did not survive, and their home was destroyed.
“You are taught to save lives and you are taught to fight fires, but you forget we are protecting our own families,” Robert Bury said.
Baltimore County Executive Jim Smith saluted the family Thursday, awarding Robby Bury, who was on the first engine to arrive on the scene, and Matthew, who dashed to a neighbor?s home to call for help, with “hero” pins for their efforts.
Fire officials said the cause of the fire remains undetermined. Cynthia Bury recalls waking to smoke and running to Matthew?s bedroom before escaping through a ground-floor window.
“I was trying to holler to my mother-in-law to get on the roof because, at that point, the stairs were on fire,” Cynthia Bury said.
Minutes later, she passed out on the front lawn as son Robby and other firefighters arrived. Myrtle Bury, who was in cardiac arrest, was resuscitated and taken to St. Agnes Hospital but later died at University of Maryland Shock Trauma Center.
The family is living in a mobile home next door to the charred remains of the two-story wood-frame house. Cynthia Bury said they plan to rebuild.
“No matter what, we?re staying in the community.”
