Multiple agencies investigating fire where Ky. firefighter had fatal medical emergency

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives is helping to investigate the death of a Kentucky firefighter who collapsed while working at a structure fire in Oldham County last weekend.

Sgt. Tom Petschke Jr., 53, who worked for Ballardsville Fire & Rescue, suffered a medical emergency while responding to a fire at a vacant structure. He died Saturday afternoon, soon after he was taken to Norton Brownsboro Hospital, according to the governor’s office.

“ATF is working the investigation jointly with Oldham County Police Department and the Kentucky State Fire Marshal’s Office,” Cassandra Mullins, public information officer for the Louisville Field Division, said in a statement Tuesday. “Our focus is to determine the origin and cause of the fire, and to investigate the associated firefighter death in the line of duty.”

She said the state fire marshal’s office asked for help from the ATF.

“While it is too early to speculate on the cause of the fire or whether any criminal offenses have been committed, ATF’s experience in these incidents has shown that a cooperative effort between trained state and local officers and ATF results in more effective investigations,” Mullins said. “We want the public to know we will work tirelessly on this case. ATF, along with the commonwealth’s firefighters, mourns the tragic loss of Thomas Perschke Jr. and we will continue to keep his family in our thoughts.”

Gov. Andy Beshear’s office said in an update that Petschke had been “fighting a wildfire that originated from a burning vacant structure in Goshen” when he suffered the medical emergency.

“Kentuckians, please continue to join Britainy and me in praying for the family and loved ones of this brave firefighter,” Beshear said in the news release. “To honor his life and service, we will be lowering flags at all state office buildings on the day of his interment.”

Services for Petschke are scheduled for Thursday.

Petschke, who was married and had two children, was a sergeant who had served with the Ballardsville Fire Department since 2014, according to an online obituary. He also owned an operated his own businesses, Industrial Turnkey Solutions and Petschke Pick, the obituary stated.

Beshear declared a state of emergency Thursday, as dozens of wildfires raged, particularly in Eastern Kentucky. As of Monday, Beshear said seven states had sent assistance, along with the U.S. Forest Service and the Virginia Division of Forestry, which helped control fires along the state line.

While many of the fires are now under control, dry weather and higher than normal temperatures are continuing this week, and “it continues to be a potentially dangerous situation,” Beshear said in the news release.

Some blazes contained, more help coming from out of state as Kentucky wildfires burn