Colorado: Update - Bridge collapse LODDs

Photo of the collapsed bridge where the firefighters died
Photo credit: AP

Father of firefighter killed in Line of duty was in a truck right behind his son's as it plunged into a ravine.

OLNEY SPRINGS, Colo. (AP) John Schwartz became a volunteer firefighter about five weeks ago, seeing an opportunity to go from fixing neighbors' cars and trucks to being an even bigger help.

Terry Devore, 30, had recently become fire chief of the Olney Springs Volunteer Fire Department after serving 10 years with the department. Both died when their fire engine drove into a ditch after a fire weakened bridge collapsed. They were rushing to a fast moving fire Tuesday that scorched 8,900 acres and forced the evacuation of Ordway, a nearby town of about 1,200 people.

''We headed to Ordway because they knew, we knew, they needed help,'' Devore' father, Bruce Devore told Denver station KDVR-TV Wednesday.

Devore is also a volunteer firefighter and was in a truck right behind his son's.

''And when we looked in front of the truck there was no road left. And all we seen was a fireball in front of us, and like down in a hole where the bridge had been,'' he said. ''It was just basically an inferno. And it's not been easy, basically, things are rough. It's my baby...''

John Schwartz, 38, was a single father of four boys, ages 15, 11, 6 and 4, his father John Schwartz Sr. told The Gazette. He raised cattle on a 40-plus acre ranch and worked as a correctional officer at the Arkansas Valley Correctional Facility, a state prison. He loved to hunt and shoot with his boys.

''He was just a nice, fun-loving guy,'' his father said.

Schwartz signed up as a firefighter after speaking with DeVore, who was also an officer at the prison.

DeVore was married with four children, Crowley County Coroner Karen Tomky said. His children ranged in age from 4 Line of duty, Colorado, firefighters, Fort Carson, LODD, Ordway, wildfires, Bridge collapse, LODDto 10.

''The visibility was terrible, a lot of black smoke and dirt,'' Tomky said. ''The bridge must have collapsed ahead of time and they fell into a ravine.''

Source: wildfirestoday.blogspot.com