Vol.FF in PA Dies in pickup crash/rollover

[Guest hoss]

03/24/2005  

Volunteer firefighter dies in crash  

By Josh Krysak , Herald-Standard  

 

 

NEW SALEM - Less than 24 hours after area firefighters buried one of their own in Farmington, the brotherhood of volunteers suffered yet another loss when a local New Salem volunteer was killed in an early morning crash.

Daniel Hayden of New Salem was pronounced dead at the scene by officials from the Fayette County Coroner's office after the pickup he was driving struck a fire hydrant near the intersection of New Salem and Kaider roads, causing the vehicle to roll over just after 4 a.m. Wednesday.

Fayette County Coroner field officer Roger Victor said Hayden was not restrained by a seatbelt at the time of the crash and added that the cause of death could not be immediately determined.

According to firefighters at the scene, at the time if the crash a light rain that fell throughout the morning hours intensified, possibly contributing the accident.

The red Nissan Frontier rolled over at least once and was more than 100 feet from the hydrant, resting on its roof, with severe damage to the front end of the vehicle.

New Salem Fire Chief Tony DeCarlo, his face streaked with tears, watched as Footedale worked to extract Hayden from the vehicle.

The neighboring station agreed to perform the rescue, as New Salem firefighters fought back their emotions at the fatal crash.

"Anything you would ever ask him to do, he would do it," DeCarlo said. "I am going to miss him."

DeCarlo, who has been fire chief since 1988, said Hayden had been a fixture at the station for nine years.

Nearby, a group of New Salem firefighters huddled in disbelief, watching as crews worked to clear the wreckage.

"This is just tough," DeCarlo said.

"They are taking it pretty hard," Footedale firefighter Lou DeFrank said. "But they are still here. They are committed to this scene."

Friends at the crash scene said Hayden worked at SCI Greene.

The accident occurred around 4:15 a.m. and at 7 a.m., the roadway was still closed to all traffic as state police re-constructionists worked the crash site.

In addition to New Salem, emergency personnel from Footedale Volunteer Fire Department, Fayette EMS, the Fayette County Coroner's Office and the state police responded to the morning crash.

Hayden's death comes just one day after the area honored the memory of lifelong firefighter Ralph VanSickle with a fireman's burial.

Fayette County Coroner Dr. Phillip E. Reilly could not be reached for comment about the accident late Wednesday.