Wyo. Chief Succumbs to Injuries from Brush Fire
Source Firehouse.com News
Members of the Fremont County Fire Protection District are mourning the loss of Deputy Chief Clarence “Speed” Hartbank.
The 45-year member of the department passed away Wednesday afternoon.
Hartbank was commanding a Sept. 10 grass fire on Eight Mile Road.
While he was surveying damage to a ground-level bunker, he fell through a hole and into the fire.
Deputy Chief Dan Oakley and Sheriff’s Deputy Donovan Detimore entered the bunker and were able to pull Hartbank out.
Hartbank was flown to Swedish Medical Burn Center with second degree burns to 38% of his body. He also suffered broken ribs and a lung injury.
Oakley and Detimore were taken to Riverton Hospital for treatment of burns and smoke inhalation.
"Our thoughts and prayers are with those affected and their families," District Chief Craig Haslam wrote in September. "Our hats are off to the firefighters who assisted with removing Speed from the area and stayed on scene to finish extinguishing the fire."
