By Mark Price
The Bellingham Herald
RICEVILLE, N.C. — One firefighter was killed and two others were injured when a weekend training exercise spiraled out of control in western North Carolina, according to investigators.
It happened Saturday, June 14, and the firefighters are members of the Riceville Volunteer Fire Department, the Buncombe County Emergency Management said in a news release.
Details of the accident were not released, but Riceville fire department officials say the “line-of-duty death” involved a vehicle crash.
“(On Saturday), members of the department were participating in a training exercise in the area of Montreat,” Buncombe County Emergency Management reported.
“During the course of the exercise, the ATV was involved in a serious accident. Despite the immediate response of fellow firefighters and emergency personnel, a member of the Riceville Fire Department succumbed to injuries sustained in the incident. Two additional members ... were transferred for medical treatment.”
Identities of the firefighters involved have not been released as of June 16.
An investigation into the cause of the crash is underway, Buncombe County officials said.
Riceville Volunteer Fire Department stages a series of annual training events, including classes on specialized driving and how to deal with hazardous materials, according to a recent report. The department responds to an average of approximately 450 emergencies per quarter, the report states.
Riceville is about a 125-mile drive northwest from Charlotte.
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