# List of New Zealand firefighters killed in the line of duty

This is a list of New Zealand Firefighters killed in the line of duty. As of 2020, 66 firefighters have been killed, of which 23 have died while responding to an incident, 35 at incidents, and another 8 during training or routine tasks. There have been four instances of multiple fatality incidents, on 19 January 1921, 10 December 1949, 30 November 2011 and 13 February 2023.
Most of the deaths are attributed to either vehicle accidents, or physical collapse.

## Firefighters

shaded rows denotes when firefighters were killed in the same incident.
| Rank | Name | Brigade | Date | Circumstance |
| Qualified Firefighter | Craig Stevens | Muriwai | 16 February 2023 | Died of injuries from a landslide which collapsed a house that he and another firefighter were investigating for flood damage during Cyclone Gabrielle. |
| Station Officer | Dave van Zwanenberg | Muriwai | c.13 February 2023 | Killed when the house that he and another firefighter were investigating for flood damage collapsed due to a landslide. |
| Pilot | Steve Askin | | 14 February 2017 | Killed in helicopter crash while undertaking monsoon operations on Port Hills Fire |
| Ranger | William Macrae | Department of Conservation | 30 November 2011 | Killed when Helicopter crashed during firefighting operations on Karikari Peninsula |
| Pilot | John Edwin de Ridder | Kerikeri | 30 November 2011 | Killed when Helicopter crashed during firefighting operations on Karikari Peninsula |
| Firefighter | Barry Keen | Willowby | 8 April 2009 | Killed after being hit by a falling branch |
| Firefighter | Ray Barrett | Hicks Bay | 28 December 2008 | Fire truck rolled while responding to a car crash. |
| Senior Station Officer | Derek Lovell | Hamilton | 6 April 2008 | Killed during Tamahere Coolstore incident |
| Operational Support Station Officer | Ken Brougham | Rangiora | 23 April 2006 | Collapsed while responding to a call-out |
| Firefighter | Roly Webb | Waipukurau | 23 March 2005 | Collapsed while attending a car fire |
| Chief Fire Officer | David Ashton Neil | Tirau | 1 June 2002 | Killed in motor vehicle accident responding to an incident |
| Firefighter | Grant Judd | Foxton Beach | 17 June 2001 | Killed when the appliance he was travelling in lost traction on a slippery road surface and rolled over |
| Senior Firefighter | Murray Charles Boyd | Akaroa | 1 February 2001 | Collapsed during Breathing Apparatus training |
| Firefighter | Kieran O'Hanlon | Morrinsville | 19 March 2000 | A 17-year-old firefighter killed when the water tanker he was a passenger in crashed down a bank on the way to a scrub fire. |
| Firefighter | Benjamin Payne | RNZAF Ohakea | 6 June 1999 | Killed in motor vehicle accident while on duty |
| Fire Officer | Paul Gable | Mosgiel | 6 May 1999 | Collapsed during a training session |
| | John Reesink | Kumeu | 3 June 1998 | Collapsed while attending an MVA |
| Chief Fire Officer | Jim Measures | Waihi | 19 May 1998 | Collapsed in the fire appliance responding to a logging truck accident |
| | David Sloan | Waipukurau | 21 January 1996 | |
| Firefighter | James Hughes | Auckland | 9 July 1994 | Killed by a drunken driver whilst operation the pump at the scene of another motor vehicle accident on an Auckland Motorway |
| Chief Fire Officer | Jim Jamieson | Waitarere | 24 November 1993 | Collapsed at home following a brigade exercise |
| Station Officer | John Agnew | Woodville | 7 July 1993 | Died after the appliance he was driving left a narrow rural road and rolled down a steep bank after attending a small fire |
| Trainee Firefighter | John Scott | Auckland | 3 May 1989 | Collapsed during a BA training exercise |
| | John William Super | Portobello | 13 December 1986 | Died at the scene of a fire |
| Senior Station Officer | George James Oliver | Twizel | 3 October 1981 | Struck by competition box propelled by gale-force winds |
| Deputy Captain | John Fordyce | Wellington | 22 June 1975 | Collapsed at training |
| Fireman | William Robinson | Foxton | 20 January 1969 | Struck by a car while responding to the station on his bicycle |
| Chief Fire Officer | Matthew Morton | Wanganui | 19 February 1968 | Collapsed while attending a house fire |
| Chief Fire Officer | Jack Wilkin Morriss | Cambridge | 24 November 1965 | Collapsed after leaving a smoke filled room at a house fire |
| Senior Station Officer | Ernest John Powell | Christchurch | 11 January 1965 | Collapsed at a scrub fire |
| Fireman | Irvin Heppinstall | Cambridge | 29 November 1964 | Collapsed during training |
| Senior Fireman | Noel Mathieson | Auckland | 28 July 1963 | Collapsed at a house fire |
| Fireman | Robert Cox | Tawa | 16 September 1963 | Fell from a moving appliance |
| Fireman | Thomas McCambridge | Invercargill | 20 January 1959 | Collapsed while involved in the rescue of three council workers overcome by fumes when working in an artesian bore, none of whom survived |
| Senior Fireman | William Strong | Christchurch | 10 July 1957 | Collapsed on the road outside a burning timber factory |
| Deputy Chief Fire Officer | Lenorad Goodman | New Plymouth | 18 May 1957 | Became trapped in a burning basement and an attempted rescue was unsuccessful |
| Senior Foreman | William Griffen | Gisborne | 12 October 1955 | Collapsed while en route to a fire call |
| Fireman | Leslie Newman | Manaia | 4 October 1955 | Killed when the appliance left the road and rolled while being taken on a routine run |
| Fireman | James Edwin Waters | Kaitangata | 29 September 1955 | Collapsed while attending a fire |
| Fireman | Albert Clark | Auckland | 10 December 1949 | Killed when the appliance they were riding, whilst responding to a shed fire, collided with a telegraph pole and capsized |
| Fireman | George L. Oliver | Auckland | 10 December 1949 | Killed when the appliance they were riding, whilst responding to a shed fire, collided with a telegraph pole and capsized |
| Station Officer | Ernest Herring | Auckland | 17 September 1947 | Collapsed whilst in command at a furniture factory fire |
| Fireman | Victor Hugo | Auckland | 2 March 1945 | Killed when the appliance he was driving collided with a two—ton truck |
| Fireman | Jim Winton | Wellington | 5 November 1944 | One of four firefighters overcome by carbon monoxide while fighting an industrial fire, and died in hospital four days later |
| Fireman | Eric Bright | Auckland | 15 November 1943 | Trapped in a ship when he could not find his exit route after the fire flared up |
| Fireman | William Molloy | Bluff | 25 October 1938 | Electrocuted while attending a fire at two shops |
| Foreman | Alexander Hird | Wanganui | 1 January 1931 | Collapsed while attending a house fire |
| Fireman | Roland Beuth | Auckland | 2 April 1928 | During a fire at the Winston Oil and Petrol Store petrol drums exploded and hurtled through the air, one landing close to Fireman Beuth's crew, engulfing them in flames. Fireman Beuth died the following day |
| Fireman | A. C. Allan | New Plymouth | 24 September 1926 | Collapsed while attending a paintshop fire |
| Station Officer | Joshua Noblett | Christchurch | 15 June 1925 | Pinned under an appliance that was overturned following a collision with a car en route to a car fire |
| Deputy Superintendent | Jules Emil LeScelle | Devonport | 4 April 1924 | Truck crashed on Calliope Road on its way to a call, which turned out to be a malicious false alarm. Two other firemen and a local constable were seriously injured. |
| Fireman | Herbert Graham | Hamilton | 19 January 1921 | Killed when the appliance they were responding rolled after attempting to avoid an oncoming truck which would not give way |
| Fireman | George Prince | Hamilton | 19 January 1921 | Killed when the appliance they were responding rolled after attempting to avoid an oncoming truck which would not give way |
| Fireman | Robert Baxter | Dunedin | 16 May 1918 | Killed whilst responding to what turned out to be a false alarm when the appliance lost traction on a greasy surface and flipped onto its side |
| Fireman | Michael Donnelly | Napier | 28 May 1917 | Died from burns sustained from the Te Anau Steamer Ship fire |
| Fireman | Richard Henry Ridings | Devonport | 26 December 1913 | Died at a large fire at Clarence Street in Devonport. He collapsed and died of stroke while working the standpipe. |
| Third Officer | William Robert Mclean-Field | Wellington | 14 April 1912 | Electrocuted after a ladder came into contact with high-tension wires at an inner-city fire |
| Fireman | Douglas Williamson | Feilding | 5 October 1909 | Died from injuries sustained from falling debris at the Hastie's Hotel Fire |
| Fireman | Arnold Gladding | Auckland | 23 July 1904 | One of three firefighters injuring by a collapsing brick wall at a large warehouse fire |
| Custodian | George Parker | New Plymouth | 16 November 1902 | Died from a tetanus infection after stepping on a nail while battling a blaze |
| Fireman | Benjamin Berry | Christchurch | 16 February 1901 | Slipped and fell under the back wheels of a responding appliance after trying unsuccessfully to board it |
| Engineer | William Abbott | Christchurch | 6 October 1900 | Collapsed while driving an appliance to a fire |
| Senior Foreman | James Lawrence | Wellington | 10 May 1898 | Died from injuries sustained when his appliance collided with a steam roller en route to a fire |
| Fireman | Skakesley | Dunedin | 17 October 1894 | Collapsed while fighting a fire aboard the Mararoa Ship, Dunedin Port |
| Fireman | Roberson | Dunedin | 10 May 1883 | |
| Assistant Engineer | Alfred Hillier | Christchurch | 3 August 1883 | Thrown from a turning appliance en route to an alarm on 29 July. |
| Fireman | William Godwin | Auckland | 3 January 1878 | Died from injuries in an accident at the fire that broke out at the Rising Sun Hotel on Karangahape Road |
| Fireman | John Guilford | Wellington | 22 August 1872 | Slipped and broke his back while fighting a ship fire, and died shortly after from his injuries |