Update: Listed by the USFA on 16 June 2025.
Firefighter Violet Caramella was involved in a serious all-terrain vehicle accident during a fire department training exercise. Despite immediate response from fellow firefighters and emergency medical personnel, Firefighter Caramella passed away at the scene from the injuries she sustained. Two other Riceville Volunteer Fire Department members were injured and transported to the hospital for treatment. One remains in critical condition and the other is in stable condition.
Age: 25
Rank: Firefighter
Classification: Part-Time (Paid)
Incident date: June 14, 2025 3:30 PM
Date of death: June 14, 2025
Cause of fatal injury: Vehicle Collision – Includes Aircraft
Nature of fatal injury: Trauma
Activity type: Riding Vehicle/Apparatus
Emergency duty: No
Duty type: Training
Fixed property use: N/A
The number of on-duty deaths for 2025 is currently 38.
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.”
Earlier:
By Bill Carey
15 June 2024
MONTREAT, N.C. — A Riceville volunteer firefighter was killed and two others were injured in an all-terrain vehicle (ATV) accident during a training exercise on June 14, 2025.
According to WLOS, the incident occurred near Montreat while firefighters were participating in a scheduled training exercise. During the training, the ATV was involved in a serious crash.
Despite immediate life-saving efforts by fellow firefighters at the scene, one firefighter died. The two others were transported to a hospital with injuries.
Authorities have not released the names of those involved, and no further details have been made public.
An investigation into the incident is ongoing.
Photograph courtesy of Riceville Volunteer Fire Department/Facebook.
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