WEST MEMPHIS, Ark. – A firefighter died Saturday morning along Interstate 40 in St. Francis County, Arkansas, after stopping to assist in an accident involving an overturned 18-wheeler.
Jason Lang, who had been with the West Memphis Fire Department (WMFD) since December, was on his way to a training session in Pine Bluff, Arkansas, when he drove up to the accident scene and pulled over just after 5:30 a.m.
According to an Arkansas State Police (ASP) report, another 18-wheeler had pulled over to assist when a second big rig struck the wrecked rig’s trailer.
The report, which notes that the interstate was wet at the time, states that the rig then struck Lang, who was standing outside of his Jeep Grand Cherokee, and the parked 18-wheeler.
“Jason Lang immediately, and without hesitation, bravely made the ultimate sacrifice, and he will always be remembered for his legacy and bravery for serving others,” WMFD Chief Barry Ealy said.
The release, which was shared on Facebook, has garnered over 1,700 comments as of the evening of Feb. 27, expressing condolences and promising prayers for Lang, his family and his department.
The department did not say how the big rig collided with Lang and made no comment on the state of the truck driver.
Lang “lost his life in the line of duty bravely doing his job and encountering the kind of dangers that our EMTs face every day along the interstate,” the WMFD statement stated.
ASP is handling the investigation. There was no information about the truck drivers involved in the accident.
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