Scott County, VA – A tragic turn of events unfolded on Thursday as a Virginia Department of Forestry (DOF) firefighter lost his life while battling a three-acre wildfire.
According to the Virginia State Police, the incident occurred at approximately 5 p.m. on March 30, on Garland Drive in Scott County. Firefighter James C. Ward, a part-time member of a hand crew, collapsed during the firefighting efforts and was transported to Holston Valley Medical Center in Kingsport, Tennessee, where he tragically did not recover.
An investigation into the cause of the fire is currently underway, with details still emerging. The DOF community and the Ward family are in mourning, as tributes pour in for the experienced firefighter who had been serving since 1998.
