A volunteer firefighter from southern West Virginia has died after suffering a stroke following a response earlier this month.
The U.S. Fire Administration announced in a release on Wednesday the line-of-duty death of firefighter Zachary S. Blankenship, a 26-year-old member of the Montcalm Volunteer Fire Department in Mercer County.
Blankenship was part of a crew that responded to a residential structure fire on March 5. Roughly five hours after returning home from the call, Blankenship collapsed and was immediately rushed to Bluefield Regional Medical Center, where it was determined he had suffered a stroke.
Blankenship, a seven-year veteran of the fire service, was later flown to a hospital in Roanoke, VA, where he succumbed to his injuries on Sunday afternoon.
