A Watertown firefighter has died after collapsing while battling a 2-alarm fire in Watertown Friday morning.

At a press conference at the Watertown Fire Department headquarters at 2:30 p.m., Deputy Fire Chief Bob Quinn identified the dead firefighter as 54-year old Firefighter Joe Toscano.

According to Watertown Fire Chief Mario Orangio, Toscano collapsed at the scene and being taken away for treatment after crews responded to the scene of a fire at 29 Merrifield Ave. at 10:16 a.m. A Wicked Local photographer on scene observed other firefighters performing CPR on their colleague. The firefighter was taken to Mt. Auburn Hospital, where he later died, Orangio said. Quinn said Toscano had suffered a "medical emergency," but would not comment further on its nature.

Toscano was the father of five children, between the ages of 12 and 19. Toscano, his wife and their family live in Randolph, Quinn said.

An off-duty Belmont Fire dispatcher and Watertown police officer helped rescue two elderly individuals from the fire. Another officer rescued two dogs.

Bob Petrillo lives at 25 Merrifield Ave. and said he “saw flames shooting out of the top floor” shortly after 10 a.m.

“I’ve been here for, like, 40 years and I’ve never seen anything like it,” Petrillo said.

“I was afraid the flames we’re going to get to my house,” Petrillo said. “Thank goodness it didn’t.”

He said he wasn’t sure if his house sustained any smoke damage.

“I’ll find out when I got back in,” he said.

Jennifer Meith, spokeswoman for the State Fire Marshall's Office said her department in investigating the fire and that no cause has been determined as of yet.

State Fire Marshall Ostroskey said while the fire is still under investigation, it does not look suspicious as of yet.

Key member of department lost

At a Friday afternoon press conference, Watertown Deputy Fire Chief Bob Quinn called longtime firefighter Joe Toscano his "eyes and ears when battling fires." Toscano served as Quinn's aide and driver, giving Quinn eyewitness reports on what was going on inside a fire while Quinn commanded the scene from the outside.

A longtime firefighter in Watertown, Toscano spent over 20 years on the Watertown Fire Department.

Quinn said Toscano, working inside the home to extinguish the fire, collapsed on the scene. He was brought out by members of the Watertown Fire Department crew on the scene and was immediately transported to Mount Auburn Hospital.

"It was there that Joe succumbed to his injuries and passed away," he said solemnly.

According to Quinn, the Watertown Fire Department hasn’t lost one of their own since the 1950s. His name was Charles Morrill and he died in April 1959.

"It’s a very sad day in Watertown," he said. "Joe was my aid for the past 12 years I’ve been deputy chief and he was my eyes and ear in the fire. I'm outside, observing the progress of the fire. He's inside, telling me what's going on. It's devastating to everyone behind me and everyone in the building to have this happen."

Quinn said all staff on the Watertown Fire Dept. would be meeting with grief counselors throughout the day.

Toscano had a 'heart of gold'

Rob Mannix, president of the Watertown firefighters' union Local 1347, called the incident a tragedy.

"Being a great firefighter was number three on his list of accomplishments," he said, calling him a "father first."

"He was as good a firefighter that I've ever seen and he was a true gentleman," Mannix added.

"Joe would do anything for you, he had a heart of gold and he's going to be missed," he said.

Mannix also pointed out the anniversary of a massive Boston fire that claimed the life of firefighters Michael Kennedy and Watertown native Edward Walsh was coming up. The pair were killed on Mar. 24, 2014.

"The Toscano family just lost the biggest thing in their lives and we want to tell everyone thank you for reaching out and to keep the family in your prayers," he said.

Quinn said Toscano's colleagues were also hit hard. Toscano was part of a tight-knit shift of firefighters who worked out of Watertown's main fire station.

Serving as the in-house cook for many of Watertown's firefighters, Quinn fondly remembered talking to Toscano before heading out to the fateful call.

"He was planning to make shrimp and chorizo over pasta tonight," he said.

Town Council President Mark Sideris said it was an “extremely tough day for the city, for the Fire Department, [and] for everybody that lives here."

“We’re a small town,” Sideris said. “We’re like one big family. We went from the euphoria last night of having a three-year agreement with the firefighters, to this morning waking up to losing one of our finest one the job.”

Sideris praised the department for it’s hard work.

“They’re called upon to go into dangerous situations constantly,” Sideris said. “This is an extremely tough job. We’re very proud of the men and women of this department, and any firefighter anywhere in this country should be thanked and proud of what they do for their communities.”

Wicked Local media partner WCVB contributed to this story.