Captain Kenneth Allen Nickell

Captain Nickell and Firefighter Smith responded to a wild land fire in the Daniel Boone National Forest near Cranston, Kentucky. They were part of a seven person team that was constructing a fire line in hardwood leaf litter on the forest floor.

Nickell and Smith were using a rake and a gasoline powered leaf blower to construct the line, they were in the lead. As the fire line was being constructed, spot fires were breaking over the fire line and several members of the team doubled back to control the spot fires.

Captain Nickell and Firefighter Smith continued to construct the fire line. The fire was growing in intensity and the wind was picking up so the crew leader gave the order for all firefighters to pull back. Captain Nickell acknowledged the order and indicated that he and Firefighter Smith would pull back. Shortly thereafter, another radio transmission was received from Captain Nickell indicating that he and Firefighter Smith were burned or on fire.

Evidence suggests that the two tried to outrun the fire uphill but were slowed by terrain. It appeared as if the firefighters attempted to run back through the fire to reach the burned area. At some point, they succumbed to the flames and collapsed. The cause of death for both firefighters was listed as asphyxia due to environmental oxygen deprivation, smoke inhalation, and acute carbon monoxide poisoning.

See NIOSH report

http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/fire/reports/face9914.html