S.C. Firefighter, 29, Suffers Cardiac Arrest, Dies on Duty

Nov. 3, 2014
The firefighter with the Westview Fairforest Fire Department had responded to several emergencies and had worked on fire prevention activities before suffering a heart attack in the station bunk room early Saturday morning.

A 29-year-old South Carolina firefighter, paramedic suffered a heart attack in the bunkroom of his station, went into cardiac arrest and died Saturday morning.

According to the United States Fire Administration (USFA) Kellen Andrew Fleming, a firefighter paramedic with the Westview Fairforest Fire Department in Spartanburg was stricken at about 2 a.m. on Nov. 1 after responding to several emergency incidents and worked a fire prevention detail in the hours before his fatal attack.

Fleming’s fellow paramedic and other responders treated the fallen firefighter and transported him the hospital where he went into cardiac arrest.

The cause of death is listed as heart attack attributed to over exertion, according to the USFA.

Fleming, who lived in Chesnee, was also a volunteer firefighter with Chesnee Community Fire Department and worked for Spartansburg County EMS and Transmed, according to his obituary.

He is survived by his wife, his mother and a half-brother. Visiting hours were held on Sunday and funeral services and burial were held on Nov. 3 with full firefighter honors.

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