Six firefighters recently died in the line of duty in six separate incidents. Three deaths were the result of accidents, two deaths were health related and one death was the result of direct fireground operations.
CAPTAIN GEORGE A. TURNER JR., 60, of the Jericho, NY, Fire Department died on March 8. Turner suffered an apparent heart attack while responding to a motor vehicle accident on the Long Island Expressway. Turner was a member of the department for eight years.
FIREFIGHTER MICHAEL L. BROZ, 58, of Dorchester County Fire Rescue in St. George, SC, died on March 10. While responding to an outdoor fire in the Francis Beidler Forest, Broz lost control of his personal vehicle and struck a tree. Reports indicate that Broz was wearing a seatbelt at the time of the accident. Broz was a 31-year veteran of the fire service.
DISTRICT FOREST FIRE WARDEN/FIREFIGHTER JEFFERY SCHEUERER, 35, of the New Jersey Forest Fire Service died on March 28. Scheuerer was struck by a civilian vehicle at the scene of a controlled burn in Clinton Township. A wind shift caused heavy smoke to reduce visibility on Lebanon-Stanton Road (Route 629) in Round Valley Reservoir State Park. Scheuerer was an 18-year veteran of the department.
FIREFIGHTER JOHN M. JANOS, 57, of the Binghamton, NY, Fire Department died on April 5. Janos died while on duty at the State Street Fire Station. Earlier in the morning, Janos had responded to an automatic fire alarm on the fifth floor of an occupied building. Janos was a 24-year veteran of the department.
CAPTAIN MICHAEL GOODWIN, 53, of the Philadelphia, PA, Fire Department died on April 6. While operating on the roof of a three-story mixed-use building, the roof collapsed. Goodwin was trapped in the debris for a considerable amount of time before being removed from the building. Initial reports indicate that the fire originated in the basement of the building. Goodwin, a 29-year veteran of the department, will be posthumously promoted to battalion chief.
ASSISTANT FIRE CHIEF HAROLD HOLLINGSWORTH, 47, of the Fort Osage, MO, Fire Protection District died on April 7. He was responding to a structure fire during a severe thunderstorm in a fire department vehicle that left the roadway and struck a tree in rural Jackson County. Hollingsworth was transported to Center Point Medical Center, where he died. Hollingsworth was a 16-year veteran of the department. This was the department’s first line-of-duty death.
—Jay K. Bradish
