An 18-year-old Wildland Fire Crew Member was fatally injured while working the fire line of a brush fire in Sterling Forest State Park near Greenwood Lake on Saturday.
The injury was the result of a fallen tree in the vicinity of the fire. Lifesaving measures were administered at the scene but were unsuccessful. The Crew Member, Dariel Vaszquez was an employee of the Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation working in the Palisades Region. He was later pronounced deceased by the Orange County Medical Examiner.
The incident remains under investigation by New York State Park Police and New York State Police.
“I am deeply saddened by the passing of one of our New York State Parks employees while responding to a wildfire in Orange County yesterday,” Governor Kathy Hochul said on Sunday. “My prayers go out to his family, friends and coworkers during this difficult time. I commend his dedication to serving and protecting his fellow New Yorkers and his bravery on the front lines. New York is battling multiple wildfires due to the dry conditions we are currently facing. Our State employees are working around the clock to protect our communities and we are keeping them close in our thoughts as they put their lives on the line to stop the spread of these wildfires.”
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