DARLINGTON, SC (WBTW) – Darlington County was hit hard with the death of a South Carolina Department of Transportation worker Tuesday, but firefighters at one county fire station were particularly devastated with the news as the victim of Tuesday’s dump truck incident was also a volunteer firefighter.
Ray Norris, of Timmonsville, died Tuesday after being hit by a dump truck on Mayberry Road in Darlington County. The South Carolina Highway Patrol says that 59-year-old Wayne Rhodes drove the truck that hit Norris. Rhodes is also a DOT worker.
Norris is being remembered by both family and friends, along with fellow firefighters.
“Yup, I’ve been knowing him my whole life. He was just the heart and soul of this department and just a great guy…great friend as well,” said Fire Chief Kenny Stratton with the Darlington County Fire District.
For 20 years, Lieutenant Norris has been with the Darlington County Fire District. He was stationed not far from where he grew up at station 15 in the Lake Swamp area.
“I did 22 years and we fought a lot of fire together. The department I was over back then and this department we run calls together on any structure fire,” Stratton explained.
On Wednesday, the American flag out in front of the station, along with others across the county, flew at half-staff.
“I got up this morning and started looking at the [Facebook] posts and I was just overwhelmed and so glad that everyone else that knew him shared those same feelings and realized what a wonderful person that he was. We are all going to get through this together,” said Stratton.
Funeral arrangements have not yet been set.
