Cleveland Firefighter Dies from COVID-19 Complications

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A veteran Cleveland firefighter died of complications from COVID-19 on Saturday.

Lt. Richard A. Petras, 51, had been with the Cleveland Fire Department for 26 years, Francis Lally, president of the Association of Cleveland Fre Fighters, Local 93, stated in an online post. He had been suffering from COVID-19 for around a week and died in a Cleveland hospital, according to WKYC-TV.

"In the face of this pandemic, Rich never neglected his duty and never backed down. He knew the risks, and he continued to serve—a true hero," Lally wrote.

According to WJW-TV, a MetroHealth Medical Center study found 15 Cleveland firefighters either currently tested positive for the virus or had recovered from it. Three-quarters of Cleveland's 300 firefighters and paramedics had cared for infected patients during calls.