(Portland, New York, June 4, 2007) - - A local volunteer fire company is mourning the tragic loss of their chief. 43-year-old Daniel Shanahan Jr. was killed yesterday morning in an auto accident as he headed to work in Chautauqua County. News 4's Melissa Holmes reports.
Daniel Shanahan Junior was driving to his full-time job as a corrections officer at the Lakeview Shock Correctional Facility in Brocton. As he drove along Route 5 in the Town of Portland he was involved in a head-on collision, ironically, with a corrections officer who was just heading home after his shift. Chief Shanahan's colleagues described his wife and children as being in a state of shock after learning of yesterday's tragic accident. In a brief statement, Shanahan's fellow firefighters vowed to stay strong and united with their fallen comrade's family. Seneca Hose Assistant Fire Chief Craig Gangloff says "We will all pull through and get through this together. This is a difficult time for all of us. However, it's in difficult times we all know how to pull together."
West Seneca Town Supervisor Paul Clark knew Dan Shanahan for 15 years. He noted Shanahan's dedication to the public during the October storm, helping them with flooded basements and other problems before worrying about his own. "Just a wonderful family and they were precious to our community and Dan was very precious and now we're without him and that's a very sad thing for all of us. I remember Dan grabbing the pumps and getting crews out there and it was remarkable. He was remarkable."
Shanahan leaves behind a wife a two children. The driver of the other truck, 55-year-old John Mackowiak of Dunkirk, is a corrections officer at the Chautauqua County Jail. He was flown to Hamot Medical Center in Erie, Pennsylvania and is listed in serious condition.
Republished with permission from WIVB-TV4
