On September 16, 2014 at 1705hrs while enroute to a fire alarm, Firefighter John Derek Gupton, 24, lost control of the 2,500 gallon fire tanker he was operating when the apparatus left the roadway to the right, hit a ditch culvert and overturned. John Derek Gupton passed away from injuries sustained in the accident. An additional firefighter who was a passenger in the apparatus was treated for injuries and released from a local hospital.
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Our condolences to the Gupton Family & Friends, the Justice Rural Volunteer Fire Department, and to all affected by Firefighter John Derek Gupton's passing.
To date, 62 firefighter fatalities have been reported to USFA in 2014. Year-to-date monthly and annual USFA firefighter fatality reports are posted online at U.S. Fire Administration (USFA) Fatality Notices page.
(The usual disclaimers: I am not a journalist; This is a blog that expresses an outlook and is not conclusive in any shape or manner.)
