IL Firefighter Dies after Investigating Lab Smoke

Nov. 23, 2021
Scott Williams with the Argonne National Laboratory FD in Lemont was found unresponsive in quarters Sunday after investigating reports of smoke in a lab.

A firefighter/paramedic with a national laboratory located in a Chicago suburb was found dead in his bunk after responding to reports of smoke in a lab.

The U.S. Fire Administration on Tuesday announced the line-of-duty death of firefighter/paramedic Scott Williams, 46, who worked for the Argonne National Laboratory Fire Department in Lemont.

Williams had responded to reports of smoke in one of the facility's laboratories on Saturday before he was found unresponsive in quarters during a shift change the next day. His cause of death has yet to be determined and a probe is ongoing, according to USFA.

A Facebook post says Williams was also a member of the Wilmington, IL, Fire Protection District for the past four years and served with the Illinois Army National Guard for 15 years, including a deployment to Afghanistan.

"Please keep Scott’s Fire Service, Military and immediate family in your thoughts and prayers during this difficult time," the post says.

Williams is survived by his wife, daughter, son and two grandsons, according to the Wilmington Fire Protection District.

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