The U.S. Fire Administration (USFA) has received notice of the following firefighter fatality: NJ

It is in great sadness, that we as a Brotherhood, post the 74th Line Of Duty Death for 2016 from the United States Fire Administration. Fellow Brother Firefighter & (Former Fire Chief) Alfred A. Stewart has made the ultimate sacrifice in love for their fellow man. Our sincerest condolences go out to his family, friends and our Brothers & Sisters with the West Milford Volunteer Fire Company #6.

Alfred A. Stewart

Rank: Firefighter (Former Fire Chief)
Age: 79
Gender: Male
Status: Volunteer
Years of Service: 52

Date of Incident: 11/06/2016
Time of Incident: 1053hrs
Date of Death: 11/06/2016


Fire Department: West Milford Volunteer Fire Company #6
Address: 1480 Union Valley Road, West Milford, NJ 07480
Fire Department Chief: Ed Aldrich


Incident Description: Firefighter Stewart reported to the fire station for a company drill. He remained alone at the station to perform maintenance duties while other company members attended the drill. At some point, Stewart ascended a ladder inside the station for these maintenance duties. When fire department personnel returned from the drill, they found Stewart entangled in the fallen ladder. Despite lifesaving efforts, Steward was pronounced dead shortly thereafter. It is unknown whether Stewart suffered a medical emergency while atop the ladder and then fell, or if the ladder had fallen while he was on it, causing his trauma. An autopsy is pending to determine the official cause of Firefighter Stewart's death


Incident Location: 605 Ridge Road, West Milford, NJ 07480


Tribute is being paid to Firefighter Alfred A. Stewart at http://apps.usfa.fema.gov/firefighter-fatalities/


To date, 74 firefighter fatalities have been reported to USFA in 2016. Year-to-date and annual USFA firefighter fatality reports are posted online at https://www.usfa.fema.gov/data/statistics/ff_fatality_reports.html