Update: North Iowa Firefighter Dies After Crash Responding to Fire

A north Iowa firefighter has died after he was seriously injured in a crash en route to a weekend fire.

The Iowa State Patrol says the wreck occurred on Exeter Avenue, North of 215 Street in Ionia, as an Ionia Fire Department fire truck and Polaris Ranger responded to a fire around 4 p.m. Sunday (10.22) afternoon.  Both vehicles were trying to pass a slower-moving tractor when the fire truck hit the back of the UTV, causing the driver of the UTV to lose control. 

The UTV rolled over and the driver was ejected from the vehicle. He was then flown by medical helicopter to Mayo Clinic in Rochester, where he later died. 

In a Facebook post at about 8 am Monday morning, the Ionia Volunteer Fire Department identified the UTV driver as 43-year-old Tony Hoffman, a 17-year veteran of the fire department.

The post adds, “Tony was very dedicated to the Department and the community and this huge loss is and will be felt by many. RIP brother.”

The Iowa State Patrol continues to investigate the incident.