Firefighters in disbelief as recovery effort turns up dead colleague
Published:Wednesday | June 28, 2023 | 1:48 AMHopeton Bucknor/Gleaner Writer
FIREFIGHTERS FROM the Westmoreland Division of the Jamaica Fire Brigade are expressing shock and disbelief at the gruesome discovery of the partially decomposed body of a colleague three days after he went missing.
The body was found at a section of the Roaring River on Tuesday.
The deceased has been identified as 57-year-old Carteus McIntosh, a fire corporal who resided at Logwood district in the parish.
Superintendent Rudolph Seaton, commanding officer in charge of the Westmoreland Division, told The Gleaner that they were hoping to find McIntosh alive and well.
“A lot of persons would have been distraught because this is not the news that we were expecting,” Seaton told The Gleaner.
“We got a call from the police yesterday (Monday) that he was reported missing, and we were hoping to hear some good news, that they found him and that he was alive,” Seaton shared.
“But that was not to be, because we got another call from the police today (Tuesday) that a car was found somewhere parked in the Roaring River area, and also that a body was found close by the river and we were called to give some assistance.”
The fire superintendent said that they were not expecting that the body would have been that of their colleague.
“It became even more burdensome knowing that it was one of our members, and that we have to be the ones to assist in that recovery effort.”
He said the firefighters have been given counselling, a debriefing and a pastor was also called in to support them as they grieve.
McIntosh dedicated over 33 years of his life to the fire service, until last year when he had an accident while carrying out his duties.
The accident rendered him helpless for several months, and during that period, he lost a leg.
“Now we have some firefighters that have worked with him, because he has given 33 years of service. But it is alleged that he responded to an emergency scene and stepped on a nail, and, of course, he had some underlying medical conditions, so his foot became infected and he lost one of his legs,” said Seaton.
He also pointed out that the cause of McIntosh’s death is not yet known.
The Westmoreland police report that McIntosh was last seen at his home on Saturday morning, and a missing person’s report was later filed at the Whithorn Police Station by his wife. About 8 a.m. on Tuesday, McIntosh’s motor vehicle was discovered in the vicinity of the Roaring River and the police and fire department alerted.
On their arrival at the scene, a search was carried out and his body was later discovered entangled among bamboo in the river.
“It was just on Friday that we kept a function at the station and McIntosh was there. I remember at one point I saw him being cheerful, and laughing, while talking to the commissioner,” a firefighter remarked.
The police have launched an investigation.