The captain of a Weld County volunteer fire department apparently wasn’t wearing a seat belt when he rolled a firetruck, was thrown out and died early Saturday morning during an emergency run.
Shane Stewart, 33, a married father of two kids, ages 4 and 8, was pronounced dead at the scene just south of Pierce on Weld County Road 33, authorities said.
Stewart was a three-year veteran of the Ault/Pierce Fire Protection District and the captain of the Pierce Fire Station. His father and brother served in the same volunteer fire department, said Capt. Roger Moore of the Eaton Fire Protection District.
“Firefighting was very much a way of life for him,” Moore said. “He was a very incredible young man. He was just willing to help and serve his community.”
The Pierce station captain had planned to take the final test Saturday morning in order to earn his certification to handle hazardous materials, and he was going to spend the afternoon training for ice rescues, Moore said.
But about 6:20 a.m., he was driving a large 1995 pumper engine to an Ault medical call when the wheels of the truck slipped off the left side of the narrow road, said Master Trooper Ron Watkins of the Colorado State Patrol.
Stewart then overcorrected and the fire truck rolled off the right side of the road, he said. He was the only person in the firetruck, Watkins said. The volunteer fire department has 21 members.
Moore said although it is policy for firefighters to wear seat belts it does not appear that Stewart was wearing one.
“In the heat of the moment, when someone else’s life is on the line, stuff like that happens,” Moore said.
Stewart is covered under a state firefighters insurance policy, he said. The damaged truck is valued at about $450,000.
Moore said Stewart was very experienced at driving heavy rigs like the firetruck he drove Saturday morning. Stewart drove large dump trucks and semi-tractor trailers in his day job.
Kirk Mitchell: 303-954-1206 or kmitchell@denverpost.com
