United States Fire Administration
24 August 2026
EMMITSBURG, Md. — The United States Fire Administration (USFA) has announced the on-duty death of Firefighter Robert Hughes, 49, of the Meaux-Nunez Volunteer Fire Department on 21 August 2026.
On August 21, 2026, at approximately 3:00 p.m., Firefighter Robert Hughes was responding to a motor vehicle collision in Nunez, Louisiana. Firefighter Hughes’ personal SUV left the roadway while navigating a curve and crashed in a ditch. Firefighter Hughes was ejected from his vehicle. Emergency personnel responded to the scene and transported Firefighter Hughes to a hospital where he was pronounced deceased.
Age: 49
Rank: Firefighter
Classification: Volunteer
Incident date: Aug. 21, 2026 3:00 PM
Date of death: Aug. 21, 2026
Cause of fatal injury: Vehicle Collision – Includes Aircraft
Nature of fatal injury: Trauma
Activity type: Responding
Emergency duty: Yes
Duty type: Responding
Fixed property use: Street/Road
The number of on-duty deaths for 2026 is currently 55.
Go here to read the number of interior line of duty deaths for 2026.
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.”
Photo courtesy of Cypress Funeral Home and Crematory.
Data Not Drama 