Community remembers fallen firefighters from Southwest Inn fire five years later

HOUSTON (FOX 26) - It's been five years since the deadly fire at the Southwest Inn. Four Houston firefighters died while battling a five-alarm fire and several others were injured on May 31, 2013. Captain William "Iron Bill" Dowling passed away in 2017, increasing the deaths resulting from that fire to five. 

Families, friends and fellow Houston Fire Department firefighters gathered at the former inn site for a vigil.

Krystalyn Garcia was just 12 years old when her uncle, Robert Bebee, died on duty, but she vividly remembers the call that changed her life forever.

"He always makes it through, he's going to make it, yeah," said Garcia ahs she held back tears. "And then we got the call that he didn't and it was really shocking. It was a big shock. I didn't think he wasn't going to make it this time. But he didn't."

Garcia said Bebee was like a father figure to her and her sisters. Even with time, May 31 never gets easier for their family. 

"They fought so hard and they didn't lose," added Garcia. "They sacrificed."

Bebee's mother, Sabina, said every year, counting down to the end of May, seems nearly impossible.

"The closer I get, I'll be very emotional, very stressed," said Sabina. "And the week of, I couldn't really make any decisions, you know."

The family has since channeled their collective grief by starting the Robert Bebee Foundation, donating to causes that the 41-year-old firefighter was passionate about.

"We donate to the animal shelter, homeless people and any firefighters that have issues," said Sabina.

Although visiting the site of the fire brings back painful memories for the families, friends and fellow firefighters, they said it is the only way to stay true to the promise of "Never Forget."

"We don't forget, because really, a department never really gets over the loss of any of their firefighters," said HFD Chief Samuel Pena.

"I'm just glad to see that the words, 'we won't forget' means something because some people just say it," said Sabina. "But not to the fire department. they don't forget."

The firefighters' families filed a federal lawsuit against Motorola in April, citing that "incriminating evidence has surfaced showing that but for 18+ minutes of radio delays caused by malfunctioning and misprogrammed Motorola digital radios, all of the firefighters would have survived the fire."

Attorney Ben Hall said the case will go to trial in October in federal court. 

Sabina said while this lawsuit won't make what happened right, it could help save the lives of other first responders.