Bashaw community mourns loss of volunteer firefighter

BASHAW -- The Bashaw community is in mourning after a fatal vehicle collision resulted in the death of volunteer firefighter Dayce Newman and his son. 

Police say the incident occurred on Tuesday, Sept. 15, near the intersection of Highway 21 and Township Road 481 near Camrose. It's reported that the 35-year-old and his 13-year-old son were aboard a motorcycle when they collided with a pickup truck hauling a trailer. Multiple RCMP detachments responded to the scene along with EMS, who declared the two individuals deceased.

In the days following the tragic event, an outpouring of support has come in from across Central Alberta, including from the Town of Bashaw. In a statement, Mayor Cindy Orom offered her sympathy to the deceased individuals as well as their friends and family.

"On behalf of the Town of Bashaw, I would like to extend my heartfelt condolences to family, friends, fellow firefighters, and all those mourning the tragic loss of Dayce Newman and his family," writes Orom. "Dayce's service and dedication to his community will be remembered, and our hearts are with everyone whose lives were touched by this devastating loss."

The Bashaw Volunteer Fire Department also weighed in on the tragedy, stating that Newman will be truly missed by his fellow teammates at the fire department. The department has since lowered its flags to half-mast to honour the passing of the 35-year-old and his son.

"I join the Bashaw Volunteer Firefighters and our entire community in mourning the loss of Firefighter Newman," writes Kyle McIntosh, Councillor with the Town of Bashaw. "Dayce was active, spirited, and invested in the success of our department. As a businessman he was always finding new markets for his services; and I'm told many benefited from his generosity in that realm too. As Council's liaison to the department, I stand ready to support our members through this difficult time. My thoughts are with the Newman family, the department, and our community."

The cause of the crash between Newman's motorcycle and the pickup truck remains under investigation, according to RCMP. The driver of the pick-up truck, a 78-year-old male, and passenger, a 76-year-old female, both residents of Camrose, were not injured.