While assisting firefighters from Hanover, Hollis, County Line, Weogufka and Rockford Volunteer Fire Departments at a fire early Sunday morning, Hanover VFD Captain Roger McEwen collapsed and died of an apparent heart attack.
Hanover Volunteer Fire Department was notified of the fire at 2:54am July 4th and responded to the scene, arriving at 3:07am. Upon arrival the fire department found the double-wide mobile home located at Route 3, Box 123-D, Goodwater, AL well involved, with flames extending throughout the home. No fire hydrants were available, therefore, Hanover and other departments were forced to shuttle water to the scene.
Following the initial knockdown of the fire, Captain McEwen was standing next to the pump panel of a Hanover truck parked in the front yard of the home, when he requested help from two nearby firefighters. He immediately collapsed and was carried by firefighters to a Coosa EMS ambulance which was stationed on Coosa County Road 75 at the front of the burning residence.
On scene attempts to revive Captain McEwen were unsuccessful, as were further attempts while he was transported to Coosa Valley Baptist Medial Center in Sylacauga, where he was pronounced dead.
Captain McEwen served with the Hanover Volunteer Fire Department since its founding in 1989.
The cause of the mobile home fire, which resulted in non-life threatening injuries to at least one occupant of the home, is still under investigation by the State Fire Marshals Office.