Four firefighters died in accidents involving apparatus during April 2006. Apparatus-related accidents continue to be one of the most common causes of death among fire personnel.

An accident in Tennessee claimed the life of one person when the tanker he was driving left the road and overturned as he was on the way to a refill point after an incident. The victim was ejected and died at the scene.

In New Mexico, one person died while responding to an emergency call when his vehicle went off the road and hit a pole.

In South Dakota, a vehicle became stuck while fighting a wildland controlled burn that had escaped. A tractor was pulling the vehicle free when a clevis broke, causing the tow cable to whip back, break the vehicle windshield and hit the victim in the head. He died of his injuries three days later.

While fighting one of several large wildfires in Texas during March, an apparatus overturned and rolled into a ravine. Three firefighters were severely injured, and one of them died about a month later.

For more information about these and other firefighter deaths in 2006, go to the USFA Web site.