A 36-year-old mother of two became the first female firefighter to die in the line of duty in the city of Philadelphia.
The New York Daily News reports:
Joyce Craig Lewis became trapped in the basement while battling a house fire in northeast Philadelphia early Tuesday, authorities said. Her actions contributed to getting an elderly resident out of the house safely, according to the fire department.
The 11-year veteran was taken to Einstein Medical Center and was pronounced dead at approximately 4 a.m., according to the station. She is survived by a 16-year-old son and a 16-month-old daughter.
“We have two families who have suffered a loss this morning, the firefighter family, and the person who lost their life, their family,” Philadelphia Fire Commissioner Derrick Sawyer said in a press conference from the hospital, according to NBC.
A procession of fire vehicles led an ambulance with her body down the Schuylkill Expressway to the medical examiner’s office. Black bunting was hung from firehouses.
There are 150 women among 2,100 firefighters in the city. More than 40 firefighters have died in the line of duty in Philadelphia since 1943.
Twenty-nine of the 1,059 on-duty deaths recorded by the U.S. Fire Administration between 2003 and 2012 are women.
“We suffered a tragic loss here this morning,” Philadelphia Mayor Michael Nutter told NBC. “This is still under investigation; there are some details we just don’t have.”
Like BlackAmericaWeb.com on Facebook. Follow us on Twitter.
(Photo/Video Source: CBS Philly)
