Hundreds Mourn Another Firefighter Lost

By NORA GRACE-FLOOD | New Haven Independent

Fair Haven families and New Haven public safety professionals filled Ferry Street Tuesday afternoon to mourn the loss of city firefighter Thomas Mieles, whose sudden off-duty passing has only sharpened the pain felt by a community still processing a series of recent deaths.

Hundreds gathered at St. Francis Church to celebrate the life of Mieles, a 27-year-old New Haven native and recent hire of the city’s fire department. Mieles was killed in an off-duty, five-vehicle highway crash on Nov. 3.

Read more here about Mieles, who worked at the Lombard Fire Station in Fair Haven and lived around the corner on Atwater Street.

“This is our third death in 18 months,” Fire Chief John Alston said following the funeral, as he prepared to lead an extensive procession towards All Saints Cemetery in North Haven where Mieles will be laid to rest. Mieles’ death comes one year after the city fire department lost fellow firefighters Ricardo Torres, 30, to an on-duty death and William McMillian, 27, to an off-duty death.

Alston said Mieles was hired in January and was one of 32 recruits to make up the 63rd class of New Haven firefighters who graduated into the department this summer. 

“We almost weren’t able to hire because of Covid and other administrative issues… the fact that he continued to try to get on the fire department showed his dedication,” Alston said. ​“Those are the types of people we want.”

He said that firefighters are relying on peer support from nearby communities of public safety workers, the department’s Employee Assistance Program, and therapy dogs to process this tragic string of deaths in the department.