United States Fire Administration
1 April 2024
The United States Fire Administration has announced the death of Captain Ronnie Metcalf, 53, of the Lexington Fire Department on 29 March 2024.
On March 26, 2024, Captain Ronnie Metcalf responded to the scene of a house fire. Upon arrival, fire and smoke were observed coming from the rear of the house. An interior fire attack was initiated to extinguish the fire. A few minutes later, an order to evacuate was issued. The crews evacuated the structure and reported one firefighter missing.
Search teams reentered to locate and extricate Captain Metcalf. He was then treated by EMS personnel at the scene for burn injuries and was immediately transported by helicopter to the Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist Hospital where he passed away on March 29, 2024.
Age: 53
Rank: Captain
Classification: Career
Incident date: March 26, 2024 12:02 a.m.
Date of death: March 29, 2024
Cause of fatal injury: Unknown
Nature of fatal injury: Burns
Activity type: Advance Hose Lines/Fire Attack (includes Wildland)
Emergency duty: Yes
Duty type: On-Scene Fire
Fixed property use: Residential
The number of on-duty deaths for 2024 currently is 17.
Go here to read the number of interior line of duty deaths for 2024.
Fatality status is provisional and may change as USFA contacts State Fire Marshals to verify fatality incident information.
For more information about on-duty deaths as recorded by the United States Fire Administration go to “Firefighter Fatalities in the United States.”
Photograph courtesy of the City of Lexington.
Data Not Drama 