As Jim Leek heard the news that a massive explosion had rocked a propane facility in North York, he prayed that his brother, a 25-year veteran firefighter, hadn't been called into work.

"My prayer was 'Lord, don't let them call my brother in. He's on holidays,'" recalls Leek.

But hours later, he received a shocking phone call. His brother Bob had been killed on the job.

In an exclusive interview with CP24's Omar Sachedina on Tuesday, Jim recalls the day his brother Bob died, leaving behind a wife and their 20-year-old son.

Jim says Bob had only been called into work so that he could bring equipment from the Taste of the Danforth festival up to the six-alarm blaze.

Once the firefighter arrived at the scene, "he jumped in and volunteered to help out, but that's the kind of man he is," says Jim.

Bob, a district chief, was found without vital signs that afternoon and rushed to hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

As Jim drove to the hospital, he banged the steering wheel of his car, yelling out one question.

"'Why? Why? Why him? He's supposed to be on vacation.'"

Bob's family is shocked by his death and is dealing with the tough situation, Jim says.

"Sleep is little, food is not plentiful either because they're not able to eat - just not feeling up for it. But they're getting through it."

Jim says he used to scrap and fight with his older brother when they were kids, but the two grew closer as time went on.

"We especially, in adult life, have grown really close together. We just vacationed together, just the two of us," says Jim.

But the younger brother says Bob "lived and breathed the fire services," and loved his job.

"He'd be sorry that he's leaving behind his son and his wife, but if there was a way to go out, he would want to go out doing what he loved to do."



Visitation:

Wednesday, August 13, 2008

2 p.m. - 4 p.m. and 7 p.m. - 9 p.m.

Thursday, August 14, 2008

2 p.m. - 4 p.m. and 7 p.m. - 9 p.m.

Location: De Marco Funeral Home, 3725 Keele Street (South of Finch)

Arrangements for Full Fire Services Funeral are as follows:

Date: Friday, August 15, 2008

Time: 11 a.m. (firefighters and uniformed personnel muster no later than 9:45 a.m.)

Location: Prayer Palace, 1111 Arrow Road (Finch and 400 South West corner)

Over 3000 firefighters in the Toronto Fire Service -- all firefighters not working are invited to attend in full uniform and assemble for the procession at the church.