16-year-old firefighter in Missouri killed in line of duty
Missouri officials said a 16-year-old firefighter was killed in the line of duty while responding to a call for service over the weekend.
Chevy Gall, a firefighter with the all-volunteer Beaufort-Leslie Fire Protection District, was involved in a motor vehicle crash at approximately 4:15 p.m. Saturday while responding to a reported water rescue, according to the department.
Gall, 16, "sustained critical injuries and was transported to Mercy Washington Hospital, where he was pronounced deceased," the Beaufort-Leslie Fire Protection District said.
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"Tonight is a fire chief’s worst nightmare. We are heartbroken by the loss of one of our own," Beaufort-Leslie Fire Protection District Fire Chief Terry Feth said in a statement. "Chevy died while answering the call to help others. Our entire department is grieving, as we mourn with Chevy’s family, friends, and our fellow first responders during this incredibly difficult time."
Gall was headed down Highway 50 east of MO-185 when his vehicle crossed the center line and hit the front of a cargo van, according to a crash report from the Missouri State Highway Patrol obtained by KSDK.
The van's driver, identified as a 30-year-old man, was transported to a hospital where he was treated for minor physical injuries, the report said. The crash happened near Beaufort, which has a population of less than 2,000 people.
The cause of the collision was not immediately known, but Franklin County Emergency Management Agency Director Abe Cook told KSDK that the crash happened during heavy rainfall.
The Beaufort area experienced several flash flood warnings a day earlier amid severe weather conditions, but the water levels had subsided significantly by the time of the crash, according to KSDK.
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The Chief Mason Griffith Foundation announced Gall's death on social media.
"In a heartbreaking turn of events, he became involved in a motor vehicle accident and, despite the tireless efforts of medical professionals, succumbed to his injuries in the hospital," the nonprofit, which supports first responders, said. "Chevy's passing leaves behind his loving parents and two siblings, who are engulfed in grief."
The nonprofit said Gall's family was already mourning the loss of his uncle, aunt and cousins "who were killed in a separate accident" at the time of the young firefighter's death.
"This unimaginable situation has cast a shadow over our entire community, reminding us of the tremendous sacrifices our first responders make every day," the foundation wrote, asking for donations for the family.
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An American flag was raised on Sunday over the I-270 overpass, which multiple agencies lined with emergency vehicles during the dignified transfer of Gall to Washington, Missouri.