A Colorado firefighter was struck and killed by a car Monday night while directing traffic at the scene of a motor vehicle accident.
Firefighter Michael Lynch, 32, had served the Penrose Fire District for eight months.
Firefighers were responding to a two vehicle MVA on Highway 115 when the accident occurred. Fire Chief Leland Jenkins said it appears that a car slowed down while passing the original accident scene. Another car behind it was going too fast, swerved to avoid hitting the first car, and struck Lynch.
Lynch's fellow firefighters transported him by ambulance to Saint Thomas Moore Hospital in Canyon City, where hospital staff worked on him for about an hour, Jenkins said. Lynch was pronounced dead at about 7:30 p.m.
Lynch is survived by his wife and two children, a daughter in seventh grade and a son in fifth grade. He made a living doing civil service work at nearby Fort Carson, including painting and drywall.
"I never saw him when he wasn't smiling," Jenkins said. "He really loved life, being in the fire department, and helping people. You could always count on him being there."
Jenkins said this is the first line of duty death for the small, tight-knit department. Members of the local emergency services will attend a critical incident stress debriefing Wednesday evening. Memorial plans for Lynch were being arranged.
The Penrose Fire District is an all-volunteer department with 18 members, serving a population of about 6,000 in a rural area of 100 square miles. The funeral service will be held, Monday, Febuary 9, at 2:00pm., at the Florence High School Gymnasium. A memorial fund for the family has been set up. Donations can be sent to: Penrose Volunteer Fire Department, P.O. Box 194, Penrose, CO 81240.
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