BERLIN, Conn. — A Connecticut firefighter died and two others were injured Tuesday when a vehicle rolled over while battling a 200-acre wildfire, authorities said.
The Wethersfield firefighter was among crews from several cities trying to extinguish the fire at Lamentation Mountain in Berlin, about 15 miles south of Hartford. Their names were not immediately released.
Berlin Fire Chief John Massirio said the firefighter was driving a utility vehicle on a trail when it rolled over near the Meriden city line. The cause was investigated.
A procession of first responders was planned Tuesday evening to transport the firefighter from the mountain to the chief medical examiner’s office.
The two other firefighters were treated at a hospital for minor injuries and released, Massirio said.
“The friendships here are deep and there are long-lasting relationships between these people, so we are a close-knit family,” he said. “It is certainly palpable in the surrounding cities. … We are a family and it affects everyone here.”
Fire departments across the state posted their condolences on social media.
The fire started Monday and crews have been working around the clock to contain and extinguish the fire. No evacuations have been ordered. The cause of the fire is under investigation, a spokesperson said.