NM Firefighter, 74, Dies After Suffering Burns Fighting Wildland Fire

A 74-year-old New Mexico firefighter has died as a result of injuries he sustained trying to outrun a out of control wildland fire.

According to The Eastern New Mexico News, Nara Visa volunteer firefighter John Cammack was severely burn after falling from an engine during a “burn over” of a seven mile long and three mile wide fire.

A second firefighter, Kyle Perez was also burned in the incident, the newspaper reported.

The newspaper reported the firefighters were trying to refill a fire engine with a water tank when the winds shift abruptly and picked up in intensity.

Nara Visa Fire Chief Gary Girard told the newspaper that they were no longer fighting fire, rather they were running from it.

The chief told the paper flames were as high as the engine as they fled. Cammack was on the back of the engine when he fell off and then burned as the fire raced through. Cammack was taken to a hospital in Lubbock and Perez was admitted to and later released from a hospital in Amarillo, according to the newspaper.

Girard told the newspaper that Nara Visa, Rosebud and Logan fire departments were fighting five fires fueled by dry grass. It took firefighters from the three departments more than 10 hours to contain and extinguish the fire that spread across the Texas border, the paper reported.