Europe 1 with AFP 3:55 p.m., July 27, 2022
A 54-year-old volunteer firefighter, hospitalized after intervening on the fire in the Montagnette massif, south of Avignon, died.
This chief warrant officer intervened on the fire on July 14 as well as on July 15 before complaining the next day of "throat pain" and "extreme fatigue".
He was the father of two children.
A 54-year-old volunteer firefighter, who had been hospitalized after intervening in mid-July on a fire south of Avignon, died, AFP learned on Wednesday from firefighters.
The man, a volunteer firefighter for 24 years, who belonged to the Tain l'Hermitage Rescue Center (Drôme), came as reinforcements on July 14 to put out the fire that had broken out in the Montagnette massif, to the south from Avignon, near Tarascon, in the Bouches-du-Rhône.
"Pain in the Throat"
This chief warrant officer intervened on the night of July 14 as well as on July 15 with the planned "rest times", when at the end of his day around 5:00 p.m. he complained of "throat pain" and " extremely tired," the Bouches-du-Rhône departmental fire and rescue service told AFP.
He was then put to rest under surveillance then, in view of his condition, referred to the Avignon Hospital Center for additional examinations.
The firefighter had two children including a son who was also a volunteer firefighter.
"I would like to pay tribute to him, send my condolences to his friends and loved ones, and once again salute the commitment of our firefighters, soldiers, law enforcement, community agents, who are our everyday heroes", declared the head of government Élisabeth Borne during questions to the government by the Senate.
Applause resounded in the hemicycle.
"It is with great sadness that we inform you of the death of Chief Warrant Officer Martial Morin of the CIS of Tain l'Hermitage following an illness which occurred on July 15 in the exercise of his mission on the occasion of the fight against a forest fire in Tarascon, in the Bouches-du-Rhône”, tweeted the firefighters of the Drôme.