TAZEWELL, Tenn. (WATE) — A firefighter died in a truck crash in Claiborne County on Monday afternoon.
On Tuesday morning, the North Tazewell Volunteer Fire Department shared the following message regarding the fire captain’s death:
“With a saddened heart, we mourn the recent loss of our fallen brother, Captain Roy Sewell. We ask that you please respect his family at this time and them in thoughts in this hard time. Roy represented the best of us all. We love you brother.
“Greater love hath no man than this.”
Roy L. Sewell Jr., 27, was driving the Spartan Fire Truck east on Cedar Fork Road near Cedar Grove Road when he reportedly failed to stay in the correct lane and ran off the side of the road, according to the Tennessee Highway Patrol preliminary report.
Claiborne County Sheriff Bobby Brooks said Tuesday that Sewell was responding to the site of an ATV crash involving an nine-year-old child when the crash occurred.
Sewell’s vehicle went into the embankment and then overturned.
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In the report, he was wearing a seat belt but his injuries were reported as fatal.
Editors note: The age of the injured child has been corrected.