Incident Name:
Date: 04/27/2022
Personnel: Darren Krull
Age: 54
Agency/Organization: Elwood Volunteer Fire
Position: Volunteer Fire Chief
Summary:
A community said goodbye to one of its own Wednesday as Elwood volunteer fire chief Darren Krull was laid to rest in Elwood.
The 54-year-old was killed in a car crash on Highway 283, approximately 8 miles north of Arapahoe while responding to a fire in southwest Nebraska.
“It takes strength to run towards those flames, when everyone else runs away,” Aaron Witt, Our Redeemer Lutheran Church pastor, said. “To drive-thru low visibility, and smoke. To go into a burning building… takes strength.”
The accident occurred around 5:10 p.m. when a Ford Expedition, that was driven by Phelps County emergency manager Justin Norris, was struck head-on by a truck hauling water, according to the Nebraska State Patrol.Play Video
Norris was critically hurt in the crash.
Krull, a passenger in the Ford, died at the scene. He was the nephew of State Sen. Tom Briese.
“Darren was the kind of guy who would run to the fire,” Sen. Briese said. “He would run to the action, he would run to the crisis, you know, and we owe a debt of gratitude for our first responders that do that on a regular basis.”
According to the Nebraska State Patrol, the fire and smoke in the area created “zero-visibility conditions” on Highway 283 at the time of the accident.
Maps
Reports, Documentation, Lessons Learned
Wildlandfire.com Links:
Media Articles and Reports
Photos, Videos, & Tributes
Contributors to this article: Michael Cox
Please support the Wildland Firefighter Foundation
