From FireFighterCloseCalls.com:
Wednesday, April 8, 2009 – We regret to advise you that Firefighter was killed this morning when a burning tree branch collapsed and struck him on the head in New Zealand. The volunteer fire service from Willowby, south of Ashburton, had been called to a tree fire in around 0430 Hours yesterday morning. When they arrived a single tree was burning…the FF’s had just got out of the fire apparatus and apparently the firefighter who was killed walked around the front of the truck and at that stage a branch has fallen down and struck him on the head. The Firefighter had initially been treated at the scene, but had died within half an hour of the accident.
UPDATE @ 12:45 p.m. April 8
The New Zealand Herald has identified the deceased firefighter as Barry Keen, 52:
Transalpine fire region officer John Barnes said the crew turned up to find a single tree burning in a paddock.
The branch appeared to have fallen and hit Mr Keen on the head as he walked around the fire truck.
Ashburton Mayor Bede O’Malley told Radio Live he had since heard it appeared the noise of a pump may have masked the noise of the branch falling.
It was also dark as it was 5am, and there was a significant amount of wind around at the time.
Mr O’Malley said Mr Keen, who left a wife and son, had been a volunteer firefighter for 35 years, and besides his experience, he was also a very “careful and meticulous individual”.
