CAMDEN, N.J. — A veteran firefighter with the Camden Fire Department has been identified after tragically losing his life following a fall into the icy waters of the Delaware River late Thursday morning.
Officials say the incident occurred around 11 a.m. while crews were conducting a routine maintenance check on a department fire boat near the marina at Wiggins Waterfront Park.
The Professional Firefighters Association of New Jersey confirmed the fallen firefighter as 61-year-old Howard Bennett.
In a statement, PFANJ President Mathew Caliente said the loss serves as a reminder that the dangers of firefighting extend beyond structure fires and emergency calls.
“Today, the city of Camden and the entire state of New Jersey lost a hero. This tragedy is a stark and painful reminder that the dangers of this profession do not only exist within a burning building.”
Emergency crews rushed to the waterfront after reports of a person in the river. Fellow firefighters immediately began rescue efforts, working frantically to reach Bennett in the frigid water.
Officials say Bennett was in the river for approximately 30 minutes before being pulled from the water and transported to a nearby hospital, where he was later pronounced dead.
The incident occurred during what authorities described as a non-emergency operational task involving the fire boat.
An investigation into the circumstances surrounding the fall is ongoing.
