Fort Rucker, Alabama Firefighter Killed

Dec. 5, 2002
The truck rolled forward during a training exercise.
An investigation is underway into a Fort Rucker training mission that left one firefighter dead and another injured.

Fort Rucker officials said the accident occurred when the men were run over by a fire truck during a routine training exercise at Fort Rucker's firefighter training facility.

It happened around 6:45 p.m. Wednesday.

Officials said the two men were helping to extinguish flames on a mock aircraft when their fire truck apparently slipped into gear and rolled forward onto them.

31-year-old firefighter, Kerry G. Neis of Enterprise was killed and 51-year-old Paul W. Harrison of Coffee Springs suffered head and foot injuries -- he was treated and released from Flowers Hospital.

Both firefighters are Department of the Army civilians who are assigned to Fort Rucker.

The accident remains under investigation by the Army's Aviation Branch Safety Office.

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