Power line collapses in ice storm, killing volunteer firefighter, Michigan officials say
A volunteer firefighter died on Wednesday, Feb. 22, after a live power line struck him during an ice storm in Michigan, officials say.
Lt. Ethan Quillen of the Paw Paw Volunteer Fire Department was responding to a call Wednesday evening about a tree that fell on a power line, Michigan State Police Special Lt. DuWayne Robinson said in a news briefing.
As the power line was being handled, a separate tree broke and took down another high-voltage line, Fire Chief Jim DeGroff IV said. The live line struck the 28-year-old firefighter.
Quillen was rushed to a hospital, where he died, the U.S. Fire Administration said. His cause of death is listed as electrocution.
The death is being investigated as an accident, Robinson said. DeGroff called it “absolutely no fault of Ethan’s, or anyone’s.”
“He volunteered his time here for free. He gave his life for free,” DeGroff said in the news briefing streamed by WOOD.
Quillen was described in a GoFundMe as a “beloved husband, father, son, friend, Marine and dedicated firefighter.”
“Ethan was selfless, kind, loving, hard working and so much more,” the fire department said in the GoFundMe.
Consumers Energy said in a statement to WWMT it was conducting an “international investigation” regarding the power line that collapsed. The winter storm caused more than 5,000 downed wires throughout Michigan, the company said.
The Paw Paw Fire Department is one of only a few in the state that are solely dependent on volunteers, according to its website.
“The group of people that are here, the men and women that serve in this fire department, they love their community,” DeGroff said. “We’re so fortunate to have the people we have, and they don’t want anything in return. Their satisfaction is helping another family and helping anywhere we can.”
State leaders referred to Quillen’s death as a “tragedy” and “gut wrenching.” State Sen. Gary Peters said Quillen “was a hero who selflessly put himself in harm’s way.”
Paw Paw is about 65 miles south of Grand Rapids.
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