Billy Burke

William Burke was a Fire Captain with the Fire Department of New York, remembered for choosing to stay with stranded civilians, when his colleagues believe he must have known it would cost him his own life. On September 11, 2001, Burke and his crew were inside the North Tower of the World Trade Center, when he encountered Ed Beyea, a paraplegic man he realized could not be evacuated before the building collapsed. Abe Zelmanowitz, a friend of the man, had chosen to stay with him. Burke told a younger firefighter standing by that he would take over, and the younger firefighter should leave.

Fellow Fire Captain Jay Jonas had been with Burke at 9:56, when they felt their tower shake, as the other tower collapsed. He described how they agreed this meant the collapse of their tower was imminent.

Fire Lieutenant Gregg Hansson met Burke for the first time the morning of the attack, and was the last surviving person to see Burke. He has described realizing Burke's decision saved his life. He believed Burke knew the building was going to collapse was imminent, and knew he was sacrificing his own life.

Personal life and legacy

Burke's father had also been a Deputy Fire Chief.

Burke's brother Michael organized an annual climb of One World Trade Center, the replacement for the World Trade Center towers, in memory of Burke and his colleagues.

In the opening scene of Friends Season 8's "The One Where Chandler Takes a Bath", Joey is wearing a t-shirt with the emblem for the FDNY with the name Capt Billy Burke.