A firefighter died Tuesday morning after a tractor overturned near Dickerson and tumbled down a steep embankment, authorities said.
Drue Jones, 60, was found by Montgomery County Fire and Rescue crews following a search and extrication effort lasting nearly four hours, spokesman Pete Piringer said.
Jones was assigned to Vigilant Hose Co., a fire department in Emmitsburg in northern Frederick County, and when he didn’t report for duty, Frederick County’s fire and rescue service asked counterparts in Montgomery County to check on him about 7:15 a.m.
It wasn’t clear if Jones owned the farm where he was found, in the 23600 block of West Harris Road, west of Clarksburg, Piringer said.
First responders noticed a tractor was missing from the property and found it in a secluded area after half an hour. The vehicle was overturned on a “fairly steep embankment” in a “very remote and difficult to reach area,” Piringer said.
A county technical rescue team, shock trauma squad and a state police helicopter were called to the scene, Piringer said.
Crews determined Jones had succumbed to his injuries at around 9 a.m. during the extrication process, Piringer said.
The Frederick County Division of Fire and Rescue Services confirmed Jones as the victim shortly before noon. The department said it was “deeply saddened” by the incident and will release more information later.
Charlie Wright can be reached at charlie.wright@moco360.media
