By Sarah Roebuck
FireRescue1
FAYETTEVILLE, N.C. — A Fayetteville firefighter who died six months after being diagnosed with colon cancer has been ruled as a death in the line of duty, City View reports.
Fayetteville Fire Department Battalion Chief John Bowen, 35, died on April 16, 2022. His death was ruled a line of duty death by the N.C. Industrial Commission in April 2024.
Bowen started his firefighting career in January 2008 and responded to 4,968 emergency calls, according to the report. Bowen had significant occupational exposures during his service with the Fayetteville Fire Department that were directly attributed to his cancer.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, a study found that firefighters face a 9% higher risk of being diagnosed with cancer and a 14% higher risk of dying from cancer compared to the general population.