Incident Name:
Date: 5/3/1963
Personnel: Vernon Cassel
Age: 38
Agency/Organization: CDF (now CAL FIRE)
Position: firefighter
Summary: Details surrounding CDF firefighter Vernon Cassel’s death are unknown but he clearly died of contact with a live powerline during wildfire suppression (Mt. Bullion-Madera Mariposa Ranger Unit) on 5/3/1963.
Maps
Reports, Documentation, Lessons Learned
- From NWCG Fire Fatality Record: Historical Wildland Firefighter Fatalities 1910 – 1996 (407 K pdf)Date: 1963
Fire Name / Location: Mt. Bullion-Madera Mariposa Ranger Unit, CA
1 fatality
Agency: CDF
Fire behavior observed: Unknown
Remarks: Died of electrocution.
- From the 1963 CA Memorial Wall database, only CDF Firefighter who died of electrocution that year:Vernon Cassel,
CDF
5/3/1963
contact / exposure
shock electrical during fire suppression
- California, Death Index: Vernon G CasselName: Vernon G Cassel
Event Type: Death
Event Date: 03 May 1963
Event Place: Mariposa, California, United States
Birth Date: 13 Jun 1925
Birthplace: North Dakota
Gender: Male
Father’s Name:
Mother’s Name: Stanley
Age: 38
Wildlandfire.com Links:
Media Articles and Reports
Photos, Videos, & Tributes
- California Memorial Firefighter Wall in Sacramento, CA: California Memorial LODDs by Wall Order. (84 K pdf) –see page 10
Contributors to this article: Mellie
Please support the Wildland Firefighter Foundation
