Clarion County firefighter dies

Rest in peace brother.

http://kdka.com/local/firefighter.death.Clarion.2.1073589.html

First link states he was complaining of a severe headache before he collapsed and died.

http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/09187/982121-100.stm

Clarion County firefighter dies

Monday, July 06, 2009
By Jim McKinnon, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

A Clarion County firefighter died today after he collapsed while battling a small fire in Strattanville, state police said.

The fire was reported around 4 a.m. outside a residence in the 100 block of Washington Street in Strattanville, emergency dispatchers said.

A pile of rubbish had been burning.

Fire Chief Bill Stroup said the 28-year-old volunteer firefighter was among a small crew that had been dispatched at 3:57 a.m. to extinguish the fire.

At the scene, firefighters needed only one hose to put out the flames in about eight minutes, Chief Stroup said.

The deceased firefighter, who had been with the department for only eight months, told his colleagues he was not feeling well. Then, the chief said, he collapsed.

It is the first fatality in the small fire department's 71-year-history, Chief Stroup said.

An autopsy has been ordered to determine the cause of death.

First published on July 6, 2009 at 10:16 am