United States Fire Administration
19 May 2025
The United States Fire Administration has announced the death of Cadet Symeon Williams, 39, of the Cleveland Division of Fire on 16 May 2025.
During his fifth week at the Cleveland Fire Training Academy, Cadet Symeon Williams suffered a medical emergency while performing physical training. Cadet Williams was transported to a nearby hospital, but resuscitation efforts were not successful, and he was declared deceased. The cause of death is yet to be determined.
Age: 39
Rank: Cadet
Classification: Career
Incident date: May 16, 2025 3:30 PM
Date of death: May 16, 2025
Cause of fatal injury: Unknown
Nature of fatal injury: Unknown
Activity type: Fitness Activity
Emergency duty: No
Duty type: Training
Fixed property use: N/A
The number of on-duty deaths for 2025 is currently 33.
Go here to read the number of interior line of duty deaths for 2025.
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 is courtesy of the Cleveland Division of Fire/Facebook.
Data Not Drama 