LAKE PARK, Minn. — An assistant fire chief died in a vehicle crash Monday after a medical emergency caused him to lose control of his truck.
Steve Balstad, 64, was driving with his wife near Lake Park, Minn. when his pickup veered off the road, struck a pole and went over an approach. His wife suffered non-threatening injuries, reported the Inforum.
Balstad retired from the Fargo Fire Department in 2014, where he served 40 years. Since being hired by the department in 1974, he worked his way up through the ranks, serving as lieutenant, captain, assistant chief and chief.
“He never, ever got rattled over anything, which helped the whole situation because when other around you are losing their minds, it’s easy to go down that road, too,” Fargo Assistant Fire Chief LeRoy Skarloken said.