NFPA: 91 U.S. firefighters died while on-duty in 1998
Heart attacks, usually resulting from stress and overexertion, were the leading cause of death among on-duty U.S. firefighters during 1998, according to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) annual report. Last year, the study shows, 39 firefighters died of heart attacks, 17 died in vehicle crashes, and 22 of the 35 firefighters who did not die from heart attacks or vehicle crashes were fatally injured at the fire scene–16 of them inside the fire structure or on the roofs of burning buildings.
