NEW ORLEANS — Two firefighters killed in a crash Sunday were praised by their peers for work they did helping rebuild the department.
Nola.com reported that Tommy Ashby, 28, of Chalmette, was a five-year veteran and Scott Blanchard, 27, of Metairie, had been working at the department for nearly three years. Department officials said that the men had volunteered time to help the department rebuild fire stations that had been damaged in Hurricane Katrina.
Firefighters Ashby and Blanchard died Sunday morning from injuries sustained when their pickup truck veered off the highway and struck a tree just after 1 a.m. in Long Beach, Miss., according to the report.
The two were vacationing on the Gulf Coast for the Fourth of July weekend, along with several other firefighters and family members, according to the report.
“Both members were highly praised by their commanding officers and respected by their peers,” NOFD Interim Superintendent Timothy McConnell said. “Although the careers of both men were relatively short, their talents, dedication and potential were obvious and will be missed.”
It is not clear what caused the fatal crash, which injured two others, according to the report. AP reported that neither Firefighter Ashby, who was driving the truck, and Firefighter Blanchard, who was the front seat passenger, were wearing a seatbelt at the time of the crash.