Feb 24, 2008 9:01 pm US/Mountain
Community Pays Respect To Fallen Firefighter
PIERCE, Colo. (CBS4/AP) ―
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The Colorado State Patrol said Stewart went off the edge of a road, overcorrected and rolled the truck, which landed on its roof around 6:20 a.m. Troopers said Stewart was ejected.
CBS
A rural community in Colorado came together one day after a volunteer firefighter lost his life while on his way to help others.
Shane Stewart, 33, of Pierce, was killed Saturday morning when his nearly new tanker-pumper rig overturned while he was headed to assist the victim of a medical emergency in nearby Ault.
Stewart was alone in the truck, said Capt. Roger Moore of the Eaton Fire Protection District. The Colorado State Patrol said Stewart went off the edge of a road, overcorrected and then rolled the truck, which landed on its roof at about 6:20 a.m. Troopers said Stewart was ejected and that he was not wearing his seat belt.
"He was an awesome firefighter and an awesome friend," Lt. Neil Sheets said. "He was a great friend."
Community members gathered at the firehouse Saturday evening to pay respects.
"It makes everybody sad," Pierce resident Dick Kinnison said. "You've just got to pray for the families and that's all you can do. That's what Shane loved to do."
"The best way to heal for firefighters is to get back on the rig and back to work," Sheets said. "Go back out there and keep making the difference."
Stewart is survived by a wife and two children, Moore said.
The medical emergency victim Stewart had been on his way to help was transported to an area hospital and was listed in stable condition.
On Friday, seven Durango firefighters were hospitalized with non-life threatening injuries while they were working on a fire caused by an explosion at a restaurant.
(© 2009 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)
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