SISSONVILLE, W.Va. – A firefighter died Monday afternoon after suffering from a medical condition while operating at the scene of a house fire.
WSAZ reported that John Appleton, 62, of Malden, suffered cardiac arrest while fighting a fire that destroyed a home. He was rushed to the hospital but did not survive, according to the report.
Firefighter Appleton served as chaplain for the Malden Fire Department was also a pastor for Kanawha Salines Presbyterian Church, according to the report.
“It’s terrible,” neighbor Joy Armstead said. “People just think [firefighters] are automatically going to be there and don’t think enough about what they go through.”
Sissonville Assistant Fire Chief Mike Oxley says the tragedy is a grim reminder of the dangers firefighters face every day on the job, according to the report.
“Our guys are well aware of the risk they take, and this just kind of brings it home,” he said. “Outside of the structure they were trying to pull down some walls and he became lightheaded. At that point they tried to cool him and he passed out.”
Officials say it’s not clear right now what caused the fire and no one was inside the home when it started, according to the report.