WISSAHICKON, Pa. — A firefighter from Wissahickon Fire Company, Pa., died last Tuesday, hours after responding to a structure fire.
Upon arrival at the fire, Ray Simonis was staged outside until asked to assist on the second floor to track down an odor of smoke.
As part of a crew, he proceeded to the second floor and successfully located the source of the fire.
Companies were in service for approximately 30 to 40 minutes. Later that evening, Firefighter Simonis was having shortness of breath, a cough but no chest pains. His wife called 911 and he was transported by EMS to the trauma hospital.
When being transferred from the ambulance stretcher to the ER table, he coded and could not be revived by the ER team.