July 7--A Washington Parish firefighter was killed Thursday night in a wreck while driving a fully loaded water apparatus to a fire.
According to a news release by the Washington Parish Sheriff's Office, volunteer firefighter Ronda Varnado, 54, was responding to a residential fire in Mt. Hermon at around 8:30 p.m. when the vehicle she was driving left the roadway, tipped over and struck an embankment.
The Sheriff's Office says the water tank appeared to have broken loose and crashed into the vehicle's cab, killing Varnado.
Washington Parish deputies, Louisiana State Police and Northshore EMS responded, but Varnado was pronounced dead at the scene.
An investigation has been launched and authorities are awaiting the return of toxicology results, although they say impairment is not considered to have been a factor in the accident.
"This is a tragedy which affects not only the Varnado family but also the entire Washington Parish volunteer firefighter community," Sheriff Randy Seal said in the release. "I ask our entire citizenry to join with me in prayer for all who have been affected."
The U.S. Fire Administration confirmed the incident as a line of duty death on Monday.
