Jul. 28—DRAPER, S.D. — A Murdo firefighter died Saturday evening in a single-vehicle crash while responding to a grass fire north of Draper.
The crash occurred around 6:50 p.m. near the intersection of 279th Avenue and 238th Street, approximately four miles north of Draper, according to the South Dakota Highway Patrol.
Preliminary reports indicate the driver, a 37-year-old man from Murdo, was traveling northbound in a 1989 Ford Fire Tender when the vehicle left the roadway and rolled. He was not wearing a seat belt, was ejected from the vehicle and was pronounced dead at the scene.
The firefighter’s name has not been released, pending notification of family.
A GoFundMe page has been created to support the firefighter’s family. The fundraiser can be found at
https://www.gofundme.com/f/57tr49-support-for-nicks-family-after-tragic-loss
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The South Dakota Highway Patrol, a division of the Department of Public Safety, is investigating. All details are preliminary.