A routine response to a house fire in Franklin County turned tragic Tuesday when firefighter Dale Malone, 66, suffered a medical emergency on the scene and later died at the hospital, officials said. Malone collapsed while helping battle a blaze in the White Level community, where crews ultimately brought the fire under control in the late afternoon.
What officials say
White Level Fire Chief Linwood Powell told WRAL that Malone experienced a medical emergency while responding to a fire on the 1300 block of Hickory Rock Road and was then transported to a hospital, where he died. According to that report, Franklin County Emergency Services said crews had the fire under control just after 4:37 p.m. Officials said the cause of the blaze remains unclear.
Where this happened
Hickory Rock and the nearby White Level community are unincorporated parts of eastern Franklin County, northeast of Louisburg, within the broader Raleigh area. Mapcarta identifies Hickory Rock as a rural hamlet at the intersection of Hickory Rock Road, and the Franklin County government site outlines the network of volunteer fire departments and emergency services that cover those roads. Neighbors and neighboring departments often work together on calls along these rural stretches.
Next steps and community response
County officials said investigators will work to determine what sparked the fire and the exact circumstances of Malone's medical emergency, and that more information will be released when available, as reported by WRAL. Nearby departments have offered coverage to allow White Level crews time to grieve, and residents expressed condolences for the firefighter's family and colleagues. No funeral arrangements had been announced as of the latest reports.
