Volunteer Firefighter Killed In Crash
Reidsville, NC -- A volunteer firefighter on his way to a house fire Tuesday morning crashed in his pickup truck and died. It happened on Business 29 near Crutchfield Road northeast of Reidsville. State troopers identified the firefighter as Paul Ellington of the Oregon Hill Volunteer Fire Department. His department is briefing his coworkers about the crash this morning.
Source: WFMY News 2
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The arrangements are as follows:
Visitation will be Thursday, January 3 at the Wilkerson Funeral Home, 1909 Richardson Drive, Reidsville, from 1800 to 2100 hours. Funeral Services: Friday, January 4 at 1500 hours at the Mount Carmel United Methodist Church in Reidsville at 361 Mount Carmel Road.
858 Mount Carmel Church Road
Reidsville, NC 27320
FF Paul Lewis
c/o Oregon Hill VFD
858 Mt Carmel Church Rd
Reidsville, NC 27320
Volunteer firefighter killed in car wreck
Staff Writer
REIDSVILLE — A veteran Rockingham County volunteer firefighter died in a car wreck on his way to a fire Tuesday morning. Paul Ellington, 36, of Eden was traveling at a high rate of speed on Crutchfield Road in Reidsville when his truck veered off the road and hit a stop sign, according to a report from the Highway Patrol. Ellington's truck then crossed U.S. 29, rolled over and crashed into several trees about 7:30 a.m., the report said. An Oregon Hill volunteer firefighter, Ellington was responding to a fire that destroyed a mobile home on Justin Road, about a mile and a half from where his truck crashed, Rockingham County Fire Marshal Robert Cardwell said. Alcohol did not play a factor in the accident. Ellington was not wearing his seatbelt at the time of the crash, according to the Highway Patrol. "We preach and preach, 'Wear seatbelts,' " Cardwell said. "This was one of those times, I reckon, he felt that he needed to get to that fire quickly." Ellington was a 17-year veteran of the 48-member Oregon Hill Volunteer Fire Department. Oregon Hill Fire Chief Dwain Strader, who also employed Ellington as a heating and air conditioning installer, said Ellington was always there when he needed an extra hand. "He has a fire within him that burned for doing this kind of stuff," Strader said Tuesday night. "He lived, dreamed and ate fire department. He has a passion for it." Ellington was named Oregon Hill's firefighter of the year in 2003. His father, Kenneth, also of Eden, was a charter member of the department, which was founded in 1976. Strader described Ellington as a man of character. "He came from a good family. He was just the type of person you want to be around," Strader said. Funeral arrangements had not yet been made Tuesday night, but a service likely will be later this week, Strader said.
Contact Amanda Lehmert at 373-7075 or amanda.lehmert@news-record.com
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