WISTV is reporting that two firefighters from Columbia, South Carolina were hit by a vehicle while operating at a grass fire in the median of Interstate 20 in Richland County. One of them was killed and the other has serious injuries.
From WISTV.com:
The South Carolina Highway Patrol reports one of those crashes involved two Columbia Firefighters. Troopers say the firefighters were called to a brush fire in a median at 81 mile-marker around 2 PM Saturday afternoon. The fire truck stopped on the inside lane. Investigators say an Impala started to slow down as it approached the fire truck, when a van then struck the Impala. Troopers say one of the vehicles then went into the median and hit 2 firefighters. It’s not clear which vehicle hit the firefighters.
FirefighterCloseCalls may have more information later.
Our sincere condolences go out to the families and co-workers.
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UPDATE @ 9:00 a.m. ET, Nov. 14:
Sconfire.com is reporting that the names of the two firefighters have been released. Firefighter Chance Zobel passed away last night. Firefighter Larry Irving has multiple injuries and is expected to survive. They are both from Columbia Fire Department’s Engine Company 4.
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UPDATE @ 8:10 p.m. ET, Nov. 15
More information from abcnews4 today:
COLUMBIA, S.C. (WACH) — Charges have been made in an accident that killed a Midlands firefighter and left another severely injured in the line of duty Saturday.
Officials say 34-year-old Neida Ortega of Sumter was driving too fast for conditions on I-20 when the vehicle she was driving entered the median and struck the two firefighters.
Chance Hyatt Zobel was the Columbia-Richland Firefighter who lost his life.
Chief Jenkins said Zobel was a three year veteran with Engine Company 4 and stationed at Spears Creek Church Road. Zobel started with the Department in October 2007 as a Fire Flow Tech and transferred to Suppression in November of 2009.
The second Firefighter is Larry Kewon Irvin. He was taken to the hospital in critical but stable condition. Irvin has been with the Department for over three years and was hired in January 2007.
More information from WISTV
