Fire service to probe SA volunteer death

Volunteer firefighter Brian Johnston, who died at a blaze in South Australia, served in the CFS for 50 years.

A volunteer firefighter who died while attending a blaze in South Australia gave almost 50 years of his life to the Country Fire Service.

Brian Johnston, 65, died on Tuesday while attending a fire in Rendelsham in the state's southeast.

The CFS says Mr Johnston was standing behind his CFS ute on a smoke-filled road when he was hit by a fire truck.

Mr Johnston, a recently-retired manufacturing worker, had served as a volunteer firefighter in Millicent for 49 years.

CFS chief officer Greg Nettleton says the death is another blow to the region after a fatal crash last week claimed the lives of a family of four.

"It's a hard time for people in the southeast of the state," he told reporters on Wednesday.

"It's traumatising for all of the CFS community, both staff and volunteers."

SA Police, SafeWork SA and the CFS will investigate the incident.

It's the second time in just six weeks that a CFS volunteer has died while attending a blaze.

Andrew Harrison, 38, died in October after falling from his truck near Balaklava in the mid north while trying to control a fire on a farm.


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