East Point firefighters Tuesday were mourning a comrade who died when the motorcycle he was riding crashed in northwest Atlanta.
Atlanta police spokeswoman Kim Jones said Carl Blake, 47, was operating a 2007 Suzuki motorcycle northbound in the 2300 block of Jones Road when he lost control of the bike.
A witness told police she was backing out of a driveway when she noticed Blake's motorcycle, Jones said.
"She stated she applied her brakes and saw Mr. Blake lose control of his motorcycle," Jones said, adding that there was no collision between the witness's vehicle and the motorcycle.
"Mr. Blake hit the curb and was ejected from his motorcycle and struck a utility pole," Jones said.
She said Blake, who died at the scene, was wearing a helmet, but it came off at impact.
Blake was a 15-year veteran of the East Point Fire Department, according to Chief Rosemary R. Cloud.
“We’re really grieving his death,” Cloud told reporters late Tuesday morning at East Point Fire Station 1.
“We are a family,” Cloud said. “We work together 24 hours, seven days a week. This is not something we’re prepared for.”
Fellow firefighter Christopher Butler called Blake “a great leader.”
“I always looked up to him,” Butler said.
Assistant Fire Marshal Marcus Anderson said he was a training officer when Blake joined the department.
“I got to watch that guy come from being a civilian to being one of the best firefighters and one of the best friends I’ve ever known,” Anderson said.
Former fire Lt. Hoover Sirmans pointed out that Blake’s son, Travis, has been training to join the Atlanta Fire Department.
“Being a firefighter is a tradition,” Sirmans said. “That was going to be his proudest moment as a father, to see his son go through the fire department.”
