‘Tragedy’: Young dads killed in RFS crash
Tributes are beginning to fly for the two RFS volunteers killed last night when a fallen tree caused their tanker to roll as they fought fires south of Sydney.
Horsley Park Brigade Deputy Captain Geoffrey Keaton, 32, and firefighter Andrew O'Dwyer, 36, were both killed just before midnight in the crash.
The 2 firefighters killed in a vehicle accident last night are Deputy Captain Geoffrey Keaton 32yrs & Firefighter Andrew O’Dwyer 36yrs, both from Horsley Park Brigade. Our thoughts are with their family, friends & fellow brigade members. #nswrfs pic.twitter.com/p3Y8zX3hBj
— NSW RFS (@NSWRFS) 19 December 2019
Premier Gladys Berejiklian also paid tribute to the two men, calling them "heroes".
NSW has tragically lost two heroes. Our thoughts are with their loved ones and the extended RFS family as we come to terms with the devastating news.
— Gladys Berejiklian (@GladysB) 19 December 2019
Three others are in hospital from the accident and two more firefighters are in a coma after being overcome by flames in a separate incident.
Firefighters are in for a tough day right around the country with Queensland facing terrible conditions and South Australia set to have its worst fire risk day of the summer with catastrophic conditions declared across the state.
