By MES Dispatch staff
The Briefing
- Two Oklahoma firefighters were killed when their fire tanker apparatus crashed and rolled over while responding to a structure fire near Goldsby on March 20.
- The tanker left the roadway and struck a tree before overturning, the Oklahoma Highway Patrol reported.
- Both firefighters were pronounced dead at the scene; their names were released by the fire department.
- Goldsby and neighboring communities held vigils and memorials as residents and first responders mourned the line-of-duty deaths.
- The Oklahoma Highway Patrol continues its investigation into the crash.
GOLDSBY, OK — Residents and first responders in Goldsby, Oklahoma, are mourning the loss of two firefighters who died when their tanker apparatus left the roadway and rolled over while responding to a structure fire early March 20, the Oklahoma Highway Patrol and local officials said.
The Goldsby Fire Department and neighboring departments held memorial gatherings in the days following the crash, with community members remembering the firefighters’ service and contributions as emergency responders.
State troopers reported that the tanker unit, en route to a reported fire east of Goldsby, departed the roadway, struck a tree and overturned; both firefighters inside the tanker were pronounced dead at the scene.
The identities of the two deceased firefighters were released by the fire department, which also activated peer support and counseling resources for department personnel and family members.
The Oklahoma Highway Patrol continues to investigate the circumstances surrounding the rollover crash, and department officials have expressed gratitude for the community’s support.