29-Year Veteran West Virginia Firefighter Dies Responding To Call

A captain with a volunteer fire department in West Virginia died while responding to a callout Sunday. Charles “Chuck” Miller, 62, had been a member of the Albright Volunteer Fire Department for 29 years, the department’s chief Owen Evans said.

Evans said the two men had come up together in the department, Evans starting in 1991, Miller a year later in 1992.

“It’s pretty tough,” Evans said.

Miller was also on the dive team with the Preston County Search and Recovery team for 15 years, according to team leader Scott Spiker.

The accident occurred as Miller was driving in his own vehicle to the Albright fire station to respond to a call for a brushfire, Evans said. The crash is under investigation, but Evans saw evidence at the scene of the crash that Miller may have had a medical event behind the wheel.  “It looks like he drove straight off the road,” Evans said. “He never left skidmarks or anything.”

Miller leaves behind a wife and two sons and deep ties to the department. One of Miller’s sons is an Albright firefighter, as is a nephew of Miller.

Miller’s death was the first on-duty fatality in Albright’s history, Evans said.

“We will be doing a firefighter’s funeral for him.”