Inmate firefighter Rodgie Braithwaite died from electrocution after lightning struck trees where he was seeking refuge from a storm. The incident occurred during the North Stansbury fire, located approximately 40 miles west of Salt Lake City.
Braithwaite and Firefighter Bishop were members of a 20-person, Type 2 hand crew assigned to the North Stansbury fire. The crew had been transported to the fire line by helicopter and assembled for work at approximately 11:25 a.m.
Just after noon, a squad of six firefighters, including Braithwaite and Bishop, proceeded toward their assigned work area. A storm cell containing lightning, heavy rain, and marble-sized hail moved into the area. Braithwaite, Bishop, and one other firefighter took refuge under nearby trees, while the remaining members of the squad moved to a lower point.
Lightning struck the trees where the firefighters were located. Braithwaite and Bishop were found in respiratory arrest, while another firefighter sustained injuries. Despite emergency procedures and CPR, both Braithwaite and Bishop were later pronounced dead. The cause of death for both was listed as electrocution due to lightning.
Braithwaite, who was 26 years old at the time of the incident, was part of the Flame-N-Go Handline Fire Unit at the Utah State Prison. He was honored on the National Fallen Firefighters Memorial in Emmitsburg, Maryland, and was included in the USFA’s annual report Firefighter Fatalities in the United States.
