A tragic accident claimed the life of a New Jersey firefighter on Thursday when he fell into the icy waters at a marina along the Delaware River.
The veteran Camden firefighter, a man in his 60s, was doing regular maintenance on a department boat around 11:30 a.m. when he fell into the frigid waters at the Wiggins Park Marina in Camden, city officials said.
He became trapped under the ice and remained there for about 30 minutes, Camden Fire Department Chief Jesse Flax said at a press conference Thursday afternoon.
The firefighter was rescued from the frigid river through a coordinated effort between local department personnel and firefighters from neighboring Philadelphia. After being retrieved from the water, he was rushed to Cooper University Hospital but was sadly pronounced dead upon arrival.
“This is an incredibly tough time for all of us,” expressed Flax. “Words cannot adequately convey the depth of our sorrow and how profoundly this is affecting everyone here.”
The department has chosen not to release the firefighter’s name until his entire family has been informed. However, Flax described him as a “dedicated firefighter who was exceptionally skilled at his job.”
“He was more than a public servant,” said Camden Mayor Victor G. Carstarphen. “He was a husband, a brother, and a father, who devoted his life to serving, protecting, and supporting the residents of our city.”
“He wasn’t just a public servant,” said Camden Mayor Victor G. Carstarphen. “He was a husband, a brother, a father, who committed his adult life to serving and protecting and being there for our residents in the city.”
