Horrifying details of Bobby J. Brown’s tragic death in Wednesday’s barn fire are revealed in 911 audio.
“The caller (Brown’s wife Arlene) said her husband was trapped in the barn (and the barn was on fire),” Dispatch wrote in the footage obtained by TMZ.
Arlene, who had “not been in touch” with the “Wire” star since then, told authorities that the 62-year-old was “starting his own Cadillac.”
She “hanged up” as officials struggled to “reach her.”
When emergency responders arrived at the family’s home in Maryland, firefighters said “a 50-foot by 100-foot barn was largely engulfed, with the subject trapped inside.”
Later audio confirmed that the building was “fully engulfed.”
The official added, “There has certainly been an exposure. Two of his cars are visible.”
Mr Brown died from smoke inhalation and his partner suffered severe burns while trying to save him.
In addition to Arlene, Mr. Brown is survived by two adult children.
He was “upset and saddened,” his rep told TMZ. “He was a very good actor and human being. He was completely dedicated to the craft of acting and was a pleasure to work with.”
Brown is best known for his role as Officer Bobby Brown on The Wire and has also appeared on Law & Order: Special Victims Unit.
He pursued a career in boxing before turning to the entertainment industry, and his last role was in 2023’s ‘The Postman.’
This year, news of several of Brown’s Wire alumni has made headlines, most recently James Ransone, who played Ziggy Sobotka, who died by suicide in December 2025.
Charlie Scalise, who played Thomas “Horseface” Pacsa, and Al Brown, who played Colonel Stan Valcheck, respectively, passed away in May 2025.
Lance Reddick, who played Cedric Daniels, died in 2023, two years after Michael K. Williams, who was cast as Omar Little, suffered an overdose.
