Two Texas Firefighters Killed in Fall from Aerial Platform at High Rise Training Exercise

FFN News -- Two firefighters in Kilgore, Texas were killed in a fall from a new ladder truck operating at an eight-story college dormitory during a training exercise Sunday afternoon, police and fire officials said.

The accident just after 2 p.m. claimed the lives of Kyle Perkins, 45, and Cory Galloway, 28. Perkins had been with the department since July 2004, Galloway since January 2008. Two other firefighters suffered minor injures during the training exercise and were treated and released.



Kilgore Fire Department's ladder truck remains parked in front of Stark Hall at Kilgore College Sunday, January 25, 2009, after a training accident that left two firefighters dead. Justin Baker/Courtesy News-Journal Photo

"They were down at the college doing a training exercise with a new e-One truck with a platform ... and somehow they fell out of the bucket." Kilgore Fire Operations Chief Dennis Gage said. "I really haven't been able to determine much more than that at this point."

It was not immediately known how high the aerial was raised at the time of the accident.

Kilgore Police officials told Firefighter Nation that both men were seriously injured in the fall and transported to Good Shepherd Hospital in Longview, where they succumbed to their injuries.

The cause of the accident was under investigation by the Kilgore Police and Kilgore Fire Department, according to Lt. Roman Roberson of the Kilgore Police Department.

The dormitory where the accident occurred is on the campus of Kilgore College. According to the college's Web site, the campus includes an extensive fire academy. Galloway graduated from the Kilgore Fire Academy in May 2005.

College spokesman Chris Craddock said the building is routinely used for fire training because it's the city's tallest, the Associated Press reported.

It wasn't immediately known how long the department had been operating the ladder truck, but it had responded to a structure fire Friday night with other Kilgore units. Additional photos of the incident and a platform aerial believed to be the same in action can be seen on the News Journal web site here. There are no reports that the aerial itself malfunctioned in Sunday's tragedy.

Kilgore is a combination fire department about 120 miles east of Dallas.



Firefighters battle a blaze that destroyed Cancun Dave's in Kilgore Friday, January 23, 2009. The department's new platform aerial can be seen operating at the incident. Les Hassell/Courtesy News-Journal Photo - More Photos of Friday's Fire

Additional information and links will be posted as they become available.

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Thoughts and prayers for them and their loved ones.
Rest in Peace. My prayers go out to the families and the Kilgore Fire Department. <3
More of a recommendation. Usually only worn when operating for periods of time on a ladder. My department uses Class 2 harnesses with body cords and prussiks. We are not the norm for this.
First, this sucks. Second, Rest in Peace Brothers and condolences to the department and family. Third, let's not Monday morning quarterback this incident. Let's learn from it. Let's Honor Their Sacrifices. When we find out what happened, let's all learn from it so that it does not happen again. LODD's are the worst thing that can happen in the fires service. So, let's take these horrible events and learn from them. Let's train to save ourselves and our Brothers.
RIP our brothers,our prayers go out to family,friends and their dept. they will be missed
My prayers also go out to the families and menbers of the Kilgore FD.
R.I.P.
Our heartfelt thoughts and prayers go out the families, friends and fellow "Brothers" of Kilgore FD. Procter & Gamble Plant Lima Ohio ERT
R.I.P . Brothers

Our thoughs and prayers are with the department and families in your time of grief. May your memories bring you comfort.
My thoughts and prayers are with the family and brothers who served with them. Lets all take a little bit more time and make sure that were being safe in training.
My condolensces to the families and the department...
my prayers are with the families and the department sorry about the tragic lose

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