'This is devastating to us': Young New York City firefighter falls to his death

The New York Fire Department is in mourning after a young, newly hired man fell to his death in the line of duty.

Probationary firefighter Steven Pollard had responded to a car crash at a bridge in Brooklyn Sunday. As he was heading to help the victims, he slipped through a gap in the road and fell about 52 feet, officials said.

He died from multiple blunt impact injuries, the medical examiner said, and his death was ruled an accident.

Pollard, 30, had been on the job less for than two years.

"To lose a member just at the beginning of his career like this is devastating to us," said New York City Fire Commissioner Daniel Nigro. "He is the 1,151st member of the bravest to give his life in the service of the people of this city."

New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio ordered flags to fly at half-staff in his honor.

Pollard, assigned to Ladder Company 170 in Brooklyn, comes from a New York firefighter family. His father, now retired, served for 32 years with FDNY, the mayor's office said. Pollard's brother is an 11-year veteran of Ladder Company 114 in Brooklyn.

"This is a family who has done so much for New York City," the mayor said.

"As his family mourns him, the department mourns him, and certainly the citizens of our city mourn him," Nigro said. "All we can do as a department is stand beside the family and give them whatever support we can, stand beside the members of his unit at this difficult time for them, and ask for the prayers of everyone in this city for the Pollard family, for retired firefighter Ray Pollard, his brother Ray Jr., and for their mom and the rest of their extended family for this terrible loss."