Pennsylvania Department of Corrections, Pennsylvania
End of Watch: Tuesday, May 20, 1980
Age: 48
Tour of Duty: 19 years
Badge Number: Not available
Cause of Death: Heart attack
Date of Incident: May 20, 1980
Weapon Used: Not available
Suspect Info: Not available
Lieutenant Bill Wilt suffered a fatal heart attack while rescuing a family from a burning house at 5:45 AM. Lieutenant Wilt was en route to begin the 6:00 AM shift at the Western Penitentiary in the Woods Run section of Pittsburgh when he noticed a house on fire on the city's Northside at 400 Chautauqa Street.
Upon seeing the fire, he immediately exited his vehicle, activated a nearby fire alarm, and then entered the home. He awoke and evacuated the five family members from the home. As he carried the last child out of the home he collapsed on the front steps.
Lieutenant Wilt had served with the Pennsylvania Department of Corrections for 19 years. He was survived by his wife and eight children.
Lieutenant Wilt's widow remarried James Pfeister, who was later killed in the line of duty while serving as chief of police of the Cresson Borough Police Department on June 8th, 1996.