ORDWAY, Colo.—Residents of this southeastern Colorado town held a memorial service for two firefighters who died en route to fight a blaze that ravaged two dozen homes.
Up to 400 firefighters and Ordway residents attended the service at the Crowley County High School gym were 30-year-old Terry DeVore and 38-year-old John Schwartz Jr. were remembered as heroes Saturday. Both died Tuesday after their fire engine fell into a ravine when a bridge collapsed.
DeVore and Schwartz were volunteer firefighters who also were officers at the Arkansas Valley Correctional Facility near Ordway.
“I’ve never had any heroes in my life, in my family, but I can tell you that I have two now and I’ll never forget them,” said resident Rick Martinez.
About 200 people gathered Friday for Schwartz’ funeral in Fowler, a town near Ordway. A private funeral for DeVore will be held later.
The Colorado Bureau of Investigation said the 8,900-acre fire started with a trash and hay pile that had been intentionally burned but not fully extinguished. CBI did not recommend criminal charges for the private property owner.
Meanwhile, up to 125 firefighters continued battling a wildfire at Fort Carson that is 75 percent contained, said Karen Linne, a Fort Carson spokeswoman.
That fire has burned at least 8,700 acres, said Steve Segin, Rocky Mountain Coordination Center spokesman. The fire caused the death of pilot Gert Marais, 42, of Fort Benton, Mont., whose single-engine plane crashed when he was flying to drop retardant on the blaze.
Segin said western and eastern Colorado counties along the Front Range were under a red flag warning Saturday, meaning high winds, warm temperatures and low humidity made for an increase in fire danger.
