United States Fire Administration
19 August 2024
The United States Fire Administration has announced the death of Firefighter Rodrick Shane Lambert, 52, of the Wayne Township Fire Department on 10 August 2024.
On Wednesday, May 24, 1995, Firefighter Rodrick Shane Lambert was paralyzed when the fire engine in which he was riding overturned. Since that time, he has been in a wheelchair. He passed away on Saturday, August 10, 2024, from medical complications from the accident. One other firefighter, Ronald Deer, was killed in the incident; two others received minor injuries. Firefighter Lambert and Firefighter Deer were in the back of the engine and were not wearing seat belts when the accident occurred. The raised roof of the engine separated from the cab when it overturned, and they were thrown from the engine. The engine was responding on a box alarm which turned out to be a false alarm.
Age: 52
Rank: Firefighter
Classification: Volunteer
Incident date: May 24, 1995
Date of death: Aug. 10, 2024
Cause of fatal injury: Struck By
Nature of fatal injury: Trauma
Activity type: Riding Vehicle/Apparatus
Emergency duty: Yes
Duty type: Responding
Fixed property use: Residential
The number of on-duty deaths for 2024 currently is 34.
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 Wayne Township Fire Department/Facebook
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