DAKOTA CITY, NE – A Nebraska fire fighter collapsed after fighting a fire late last week and died as a result.
Captain Andrew “Andy” Zalme, age 42, a volunteer fire fighter with 7 years of service, died on April 16. On that evening, Dakota City Fire and Rescue responded to a vehicle fire on Highway 35 near mile marker 62. As fire crews were preparing to leave the scene, Captain Zalme collapsed. Despite numerous attempts, fellow responders were unable to revive Zalme and he passed away at the scene. A nature and cause of fatal injury has yet to be determined.
Zalme and his wife lived in Dakota City, Nebraska with their three boys. He worked as a drafter at Wilson Trailer for twenty-two years and joined the Dakota City Fire Department in 2008.
