WFD firefighter dies in the line of duty after house fire near Haysville
WICHITA, Kan. (KSNW) — A firefighter with the Wichita Fire Department has died following a house fire south of Wichita on Thursday.
"While operating a mutual aid fire in Haysville, one of Wichita's greatest was injured in the line of duty. And he later succumbed to his injuries," said Wichita Fire Chief Tammy Snow.
Sedgwick County Fire District 1 Fire Marshal Brad Crisp said shortly before 3 p.m. Thursday, crews were dispatched to the 9800 block of S. Laura. A passerby on the turnpike saw the flames coming out of a home and called 911.
Crews from Sedgwick County Fire, Derby Fire, McConnell Fire and WFD responded to the call. The fire was under control quickly, and the firefighter was the only one injured in the incident.
Sedgwick County Dispatch told KSN that the firefighter was unconscious and not breathing but did not say if it was from an injury or if it was a medical emergency.
A Sedgwick County official later told KSN the firefighter was a part of the WFD.
"This is a loss that weighs heavily on all of us and very deeply. All of the dedicated individuals that serve who our fire department, do so knowing that the immence risk that they're undertaking and they do it with noble, selfless regard. It doesn't make this any easier, nor does the sacrifice of their loved one and the family any easier," said Snow during a news conference.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Fire and Tobacco, Kansas State Fire Marshal's Office and Sedgwick County Fire are investigating the incident.
The name of the firefighter will not be released at this time.
WFD went live on their Facebook page Thursday night to show the transfer of the firefighter from the hospital.
One neighbor said she came out of her home to find smoke and it was frightening.
"Me and my daughter saw the smoke coming from our window, and we came outside, and we saw all these fire trucks trying to put out the smoke, breaking the windows," said neighbor Crystal Anderson.
She says she knows her next-door neighbor and believes she was out at the lake, not home at the time.
Watch Snow and Crisp speak at the news conference below:
This is a developing story.