Forest Service firefighter, 21, killed in on-duty crash in SW Oregon
GOLD BEACH, Ore. (KTVZ) – A 21-year-old U.S. Forest Service firefighter was killed in a crash on Friday while on duty near the Coos County community of Powers, agency officials announced “with heavy hearts” on Saturday.
Benjamin Charles Sapper, 21, was originally from Boulder, Colorado and was working as a first-year hand-crew member on the Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest's Gold Beach Ranger District, the announcement said.
Coquille Fire & Rescue had announced Friday that a pickup truck with a crew of Forest Service firefighters left the roadway above Powers, critically injuring a passenger who passed away.
They said a small procession was quickly formed of local fire and law enforcement to escort the fallen firefighter to a mortuary in Coquille.
"Local firefighters are standing vigil with our fallen until they can be transported home," they said. "Our thoughts and prayers are with the families and our fire service brothers and sisters."
The Forest Service said Sapper was not working on the Flat Fire, which has burned more than 32,000 acres on the forest in recent weeks.
Sapper graduated from Boulder High School and the University of Colorado with a bachelor’s degree in applied mathematics, they said.
"Benjamin was an avid baseball player, chess player and skier, and he loved engaging others in a wide array of topics, including philosophy and mathematics," the announcement said.
"He joined the Forest Service out of a desire to serve the community and be part of a great team. Benjamin was looking forward to starting graduate school this fall at the University of British Columbia in Earth Sciences. He was truly loved and will be missed."
“This is a devastating loss of one of our own Gold Beach firefighters," said Gold Beach District Ranger Kailey Guerrant. "We have a tight-knit community on the Gold Beach and Powers ranger districts, and we stand together in grief and support for his family, friends and fellow firefighters during this heartbreaking time.”
