The Associated Press

EATON, Ind. — A firefighter's heart-attack death might have been caused by the stress of responding to more than a dozen blazes set in a central Indiana town, a fire official said.

Jay Maddy, 41, was a member of the Eaton Volunteer Fire Department for 20 years before he died Saturday, the day after he fell ill, said Tim Baty, the chief of the neighboring Hamilton Township Fire Department.

Maddy was one of the first firefighters to respond to 21 fires reported in the town between 3:30 a.m. and 5:30 a.m. Thursday that damaged a carport and motor home, a minivan, a sport-utility vehicle, a mo-ped and several trash cans.

Maddy joined a crew of police officers and firefighters that patrolled the town Thursday night and early Friday to prevent more arsons. Maddy was up for 24 hours without rest, but showed no signs of trouble other than fatigue before his heart attack, Baty said.

The state fire marshal's office has labeled Maddy's fatal heart attack as a "line of duty" death, believing the stress might have contributed to his heart attack, Baty said.

"They've lost a brother in firefighting and it's hard," Baty said of Maddy's co-workers.

Police officers on Friday arrested two males, ages 17 and 18, in connection with the arsons in Eaton, a town of about 1,500 people 10 miles north of Muncie.

Maddy's family will be eligible to receive full line-of-duty death benefits, including financial aid for the education of his two children, Baty said.