It appears that Texas Firefighter Greg Simmons died in the Line of Duty yesterday after being hit by a vehicle after he tried to escape his fire apparatus that was trapped in the wildfire. Eastland Volunteer Firefighter Greg Simmons was killed by blunt force trauma according to a preliminary autopsy report by a medical examiner in Fort Worth. FF Simmons was found on a roadside, but investigators don’t yet know if he was hit by a fire truck or car Friday in an area where a 3,000-acre fire caused thick smoke with nearly no visibility.
Details now are that FF Simmons was traveling in was attempting to exit a pasture where he and others were fighting the wildfire, but the gate to the field was blocked by other fire apparatus. FF Simmons then reportedly exited the vehicle and went toward County Road 323. It appears that FF Simmons ran onto or near the roadway, which was obscured by heavy smoke, and was struck by the unknown vehicle. Reports initially were that FF Simmons jumped from the fire apparatus, apparently was overcome by smoke and fell in a ditch before fire reached him.
FUNERAL DETAILS:
