Norristown firefighters responds to two fatalities over last few days

NORRISTOWN – The Norristown first responder community is reeling after responding to two fatalities in a roughly 48-hour period in the municipality.

Rich Lockhart, deputy chief of the Norristown Fire Department, relayed details of two incidents that took place on Saturday and Monday. Firefighters were dispatched around 7:54 a.m. Saturday to the 600 block of Haws Avenue to find a man inside a parked, burning van.

Firefighters “pulled him out” of the van, Lockhart said, and attempted to render aid. He was then flown to the Temple Burn Center in North Philadelphia, but succumbed to his injuries. The circumstances leading up to the fire were unclear, which Lockhart said is under investigation.

Two days later, Norristown police and fire crews responded to a crash at 10:51 a.m. Monday at the intersection of DeKalb and East Brown streets.

At least one person was killed in Monday morning’s crash, according to authorities. While details related to the incident were limited, Lockhart said reports revealed that fire crews “arrived to find” a “vehicle up against a tree.” He added that “one occupant was heavily entrapped” and “had to be cut out” of the vehicle.

It’s unclear how many others were involved in the crash or the severity of their injuries. Lockhart said that Norristown firefighters had assistance from the nearby Harmonville Fire Company’s heavy rescue team responding to an area he categorized as a “very dangerous stretch of highway.”

Lockhart said that “people speed along there” and urged motorists to “be careful with what you do.”

“As first responders, it kind of wears on you after years and years of exposure,” Lockhart said.

“It’s very hard seeing somebody … somebody’s trapped in a car, you’re trying to cut them out, and things are not looking good,” he continued. “You’re doing the best you can but it takes a little while. It wears on you and it’s very frustrating sometimes.”

The municipal fire department took to social media to inform area residents of these tragedies.

“These deaths have not only been horrific for their families, but also for our firefighters. So please keep the victims’ families and our firefighters in your thoughts and prayers,” read a post in part on the Norristown Fire Department’s Facebook page.

Norristown Deputy Police Chief Michael Bishop declined to provide further information, telling MediaNews Group late Monday that Monday’s fatality “is still being investigated.” Identities of the victims have not been released by police.