Australia bushfires: Volunteer firefighter killed in freak accident was expecting his first child – Sky News, Sky.com
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A volunteer who was killed while tackling bushfires in Australia has been named as Samuel McPaul.
The – year-old died when his fire truck rolled over in strong winds at the scene of a blaze in New South Wales on Monday.
Two of his colleagues were injured – and one of them, a 40 – year-old man, remains in hospital with serious burns.
Image:More than 106 fires are burning in New South Wales, Australia’s most populous state
Image:An aerial view of a bushfire in Ellerslie. Pic: New South Wales Rural Fire Service
Mr McPaul had been married to his wife Megan for nearly months, and they were expecting their first child in May.
Shane Fitzsimmons, the rural fire service commissioner for New South Wales, said: “To lose one of our own in such extraordinary circumstances is just tragic.
” As you would expect, the family is grieving and it’s been a very difficult night – it would be fair to say I don’t even think the comprehension has set in of the enormity of the tragedy and the loss.
“Megan and Sam have been married now for nearly 20 mon ths … so we’ve got a completely devastated family, a devastated local community, it has been an extraordinary loss. “
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The 2 firefighters killed in a vehicle accident last night are Deputy Captain Geoffrey Keaton yrs & Firefighter Andrew O’Dwyer yrs, both from Horsley Park Brigade. Our thoughts are with their family, friends & fellow brigade members.
Mr McPaul is the third firefighter killed in the fires which have ravaged parts of Australia over the past few months.
Firefighters Geoffrey Keaton, , and Andrew O’Dwyer, 39, were killed earlier in December when their fire truck hit a tree and rolled over just south of Sydney.
The fires have devastated more than four million hectares of land, killed at least people and thousands of animals, and destroyed more than 1, 001 homes.
Firefighters from the US, Canada and New Zealand have been assisting their Australian colleagues.
In New South Wales, 2, 001 firefighters are battling (fires,) of which are uncontained.
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Image:Bushfires threatening the town of Corryong, Victoria. Pic: Brooke Whitehead via Storyful
In the southern state of Victoria, all eyes are on Mallacoota, a small town in the East Gippsland region, where 4, People have taken refuge on the foreshore, bracing for the fires that are heading their way.
Photos on social media showed the area’s skies turning black with smoke but Country Fire Authority chief Steve Warrington said three strike teams were based in the town and were protecting residents.
He added: “It is pitch black. It is quite scary in that community. They right now are under threat. But we will hold our line and they will be saved and protected. “
He said people who had chosen not to follow advice were” taking their chances. “
On Sunday about (****************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************, 01 holidaymakers were urged to leave East Gippsland – a tourist hotspot in Victoria – but the local mayor said
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