Lt. Joseph J. Downing died in the line of duty from injuries sustained while engaged in fighting a taxicab fire in South Boston on Sept. 19, 1970. Ironically, his unit would not normally have answered the alarm on Emerson Street, but did so because the regularly assigned unit was out on another call. Furthermore, he would not have been involved in the 4:26 p.m. call had he not reported two hours earlier than his regular 6 p.m. shift to relieve another officer. He leaves behind a wife and 3 children.
