By FireRescue1 Staff
LOS ANGELES — A procession was held for a firefighter who died after falling from an aerial ladder during a training exercise.
Daily News reported firefighters escorted Kelly Wong’s body from a hospital to the coroner’s office. His flag-draped body was carried by a coroner’s van that passed under a U.S. flag suspended from the ladder of two fire trucks.
Family members, colleagues and hospital staff gathered outside the hospital to honor him, according to NBC Los Angeles.
“I join the men and women of the LAFD in mourning firefighter Wong’s sudden passing,” LAFD Chief Ralph Terrazas said. “It is always a tragedy to lose one of our own, especially an accomplished individual who was still at the beginning of what was certainly going to be a promising career.”
Mayor Eric Garcetti vowed to make a full inquiry into the incident.
“Kelly Wong was the best of who we are and what we aspire to be: an outstanding young man, a skilled professional, and a dedicated father who committed himself to serving the people of our city — selflessly, and like all members of the Los Angeles Fire Department, at tremendous personal risk,” Garcetti said. “My heart is broken by his passing, and my prayers are with his wife Danielle, his son Colton, and everyone who loved, respected and admired him.”
Garcetti said a full investigation will be conducted, including looking into training procedures so that another incident will not happen again.
“We owe nothing less to our brave first responders,” he said.