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LODD: W.Va. firefighter dies after responding to call

A Danville firefighter suffered a medical emergency at the firehouse after a call

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Danville Volunteer Fire Department/Facebook

DANVILLE, W.Va. — Boone County mourns the loss of veteran Firefighter Steve Griffith, 66, who died on March 3 following a medical emergency at the Danville Volunteer Fire Department firehouse.

Griffith, with 48 years of dedicated service, had responded to an emergency call late Saturday night and experienced a medical event around 5 p.m. the following day, WOWK reported. He was initially taken to Boone Memorial Hospital and later transferred to CAMC Memorial in Charleston, where he died.

The West Virginia State Fire Marshal’s Office has classified Griffith’s passing as a line-of-duty death, as the medical event occurred within 24 hours of his last emergency response, WCHS reported.

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Bill Carey is the associate editor for FireRescue1.com and EMS1.com. A former Maryland volunteer firefighter, sergeant, and lieutenant, Bill has written for several fire service publications and platforms. His work on firefighter behavioral health garnered a 2014 Neal Award nomination. His ongoing research and writings about line-of-duty death data is frequently cited in articles, presentations, and trainings. Have a news tip? He can be reached at news@lexipol.com.