Firefighter perishes in residential blaze after being hit by shattered firetruck fragment
Plainville Volunteer Firefighter Raymond Moreau Dies in Tragic Accident
Plainville, Connecticut, is mourning the loss of one of its heroes, Raymond "Ray" Moreau, a 60-year-old volunteer firefighter who died while responding to a house fire on Maria Road.
Moreau, a 35-year veteran of the Plainville Fire Department, was standing near a fire apparatus when a piece of equipment broke free from the fire truck and struck his leg. This catastrophic injury led to his death during surgery at the Hospital of Central Connecticut.
The Medical Examiner's office confirmed that Moreau's cause of death was blunt trauma to the head, neck, torso, and extremities. The specific part of the firetruck that caused the deadly injury is yet to be confirmed.
The fire on Maria Road destroyed the home but all occupants escaped without injury. The fire, as well as the circumstances surrounding Moreau's death, are under investigation by state police, OSHA, and fire investigators.
Michael Paulhus, Plainville town manager, described Moreau's death as a tremendous and tragic loss for the community. Town and state officials echoed this sentiment, with Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont directing flags to be flown at half-staff across the state in honor of Moreau.
Plainville Police Chief Christopher Vanghele stated that whenever there is a death like that, it's the death of a hero. The Plainville Municipal Center has black bunting draped across it and a photo of Moreau is illuminated. A memorial of flowers and wreaths has grown outside the Plainville Fire Department on Monday.
Moreau was a U.S. Marine Corps veteran and was remembered for his decades of dedicated service to the community. The flag was flown at half-staff outside the Plainville Fire Department as well.
The community is expected to come together and heal, but they have a fallen hero to recognize in Raymond Moreau. As the investigation continues, the community is encouraged to remember Moreau's life and service, and to support each other during this difficult time.
[1] Plainville Fire Department press release[2] Plainville Police Department press release[3] Hospital of Central Connecticut press release[4] Connecticut Office of the Chief Medical Examiner press release
- The community is deeply saddened by the general-news event involving the loss of Raymond Moreau, a veteran firefighter who passed away due to a tragic accident related to crime-and-justice, where a piece of equipment from a fire truck struck him.
- As the community copes with the loss and awaits the results of the investigation, sports and entertainment events are temporarily shelved, with the focus shifted towards remembering and honoring Moreau's decades of dedicated service to the community.
