The Wire star Bobby J. Brown has passed away at the age of 62 after sustaining injuries in a barn fire in Saint Mary’s County, Maryland.
The actor, who portrayed Officer Bobby Brown in the hit HBO series, was believed to be jump-starting a vehicle in his barnyard residence when the fire took hold, per TMZ.
Brown reportedly called out to a family member to retrieve a fire extinguisher, but the blaze had already engulfed the barn by the time they returned. His wife suffered severe burns while attempting to rescue him from the fire, per TMZ.
His cause of death was ruled as smoke inhalation and diffuse thermal injury. It was determined an accident by the Maryland Office of the Chief Medical Examiner.
Brown’s daughter Reina said in a statement to PEOPLE that his death was a “huge loss” and recalled waking up hours after the barn went alight.
“I was sound asleep. My little sister [was] freaking out, saying that dad’s gone and that he got caught up in a barn fire,” Reina said.
“I literally went outside and put both my feet on my front walk. I stood out in my bare feet in a nightgown because I wanted to make sure I was really awake. I couldn’t believe it. I was like, this isn’t real. And I still don’t even feel like it’s real.”
Reina said the Brown family is “still trying to process” his passing and that it’s her “faith that’s keeping me sane right now”.
Alongside The Wire — the crime drama which starred Idris Elba, Dominic West and Michael B. Jordan throughout its five-season run — Brown also had roles in Law & Order: SVU and the HBO shows The Corner, We Own This City and Veep.
Albert Bramante, Brown’s agent, remembered the actor for his “immense talent and even greater integrity”.
“He approached his work with a discipline and a passion that were truly inspiring to witness,” Bramante told PEOPLE.
“We are deeply saddened by this loss and ask for privacy for his family and loved ones during this time.”
Lead images: HBO and Instagram
