A 35-year-old Pennsylvania volunteer firefighter died Sunday night while responding to a house fire on his final night of duty, authorities announced.
The Penn Wynne/Overbrook Hills Fire Company responded to a call about a burning house around 10:34 p.m., in Lower Merion Township. Units found “the structure heavily involved with fire and smoke” and quickly began trying to suppress the fire.
Video from neighbors of the fire in Wynnewood @LowerMerionTwp that took the life of a volunteer firefighter @NBCPhiladelphia pic.twitter.com/BaoFvEgu5S
— Rosemary Connors (@RosemaryConnors) July 5, 2021
“Lots of smoke coming out all over the place,” neighbor Deborah Saldana said, according to WFMZ.
Authorities then sent out a mayday call less than a half hour later and the Rapid Intervention Crew went into the building and discovered volunteer firefighter Sean W. DeMuynck on the third floor unresponsive. Two other firefighters on the third floor managed to escape the deadly fire, according to NBC 10 Philadelphia.
Saldana recounted seeing DeMuynck “come out on a stretcher.” (RELATED: Former Volunteer Firefighter Charged With Arson After Setting Church Ablaze)
DeMuynck was transported to Lankenau Hospital. Doctors were unable to revive DeMuynck and he was pronounced dead at 12:22 a.m., authorities said.
“Firefighter DeMuynck faithfully served the citizens of Penn Wynne and Lower Merion Township as a Volunteer Firefighter since August of 2019,” Penn Wynne Fire Company said in a statement. “Firefighter DeMuynck and his wife are Canadian and planned to move back home to rejoin their family today, July 5, 2021.”
#Heavyheart A Penn Wynne firefighter died actively fighting a house fire in Wynnewood @LowerMerionTwp last night… It was supposed to be his last night in the Philly area before he + his wife were heading back TODAY to his home country of Canada… @NBCPhiladelphia pic.twitter.com/ZVSv7wckhS
— Rosemary Connors (@RosemaryConnors) July 5, 2021
Chief Charles McGarvey said “we lost a true hero last night,” according to WFMZ.
“This is a very, very sad day,” an emotional McGarvey reportedly said.