Plainfield native to be honored for sacrifice

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Plainfield native killed in Texas blast – update

May 1

Posted by Admin in Fire Service News | Comments off

Some followup to a previous article about the death of Kevin Sanders, formerly of Plainfield.

Illinois Governor Quinn has ordered the United States and Illinois State flags lowered to half-staff from sunrise, Monday, April 29, 2013 until sunset on Wednesday, May 1, 2013 in honor of Kevin Sanders of the Bruceville-Eddy Volunteer Fire Department.

From Chicago 7 ABC News:

April 30, 2013 (PLAINFIELD, Ill.) (WLS) — A funeral will be held Wednesday for Kevin Sanders, the Plainfield native and first responder killed in the explosion at a Texas fertilizer plant.

On Tuesday night, members of the Plainfield Fire Department paid their respects during Sanders’ visitation. He had worked with the village’s emergency management agency before moving to Texas where he was a volunteer firefighter.

Sanders was one of 15 people killed in the April 17th explosion.

Also from Chicago 7 ABC News:

April 25, 2013 (PALOS HILLS, Ill.) (WLS) — Kevin Sanders, a 33-year-old emergency medical technician, was one of the first responders killed in the Texas fertilizer plant explosion.

While President Obama and the First Lady attended a memorial service at Baylor University on Thursday, Chicago area residents remembered the former Palos Hills man, who once was an altar boy at Sacred Heart Church in Palos Hills.

Sanders’ body will be returned to the Chicago area with honors, an effort which is being coordinated by several fire deparments.

His funeral service will be held at Sacred Heart Church in Palos Hills.

Tags: flags at half-staff for Kevin Sanders, Kevin Sanders, Plainfield native killed in Texas blast, Plainfield native to be honored for sacrifice

Plainfield native killed in Texas blast

Apr 25

Posted by Admin in Fire Service News | 1 Comment

The TribLocal has an article which reveals that one of the fourteen people killed in last week’s massive explosion in West, Texas was from Plainfield.

A native of the Chicago area who was among the 14 people killed in last week’s Texas fertilizer plant explosion will be honored by local firefighters and police, officials announced Wednesday.

Kevin Sanders, 33, was with south suburban Plainfield’s emergency management agency for about five years, assisting police with events and traffic control, before moving to Texas four or five years ago, Frankfort Assistant Fire Chief Larry Rauch said in a statement. He is making the arrangements for an honor transport of Sanders’ remains upon arrival in the Chicago area.

Members of Sanders’ family still live in Plainfield and are now in Texas, where a service for fallen first responders is planned Thursday, Rauch said.

Sanders was a volunteer firefighter with the Bruceville-Eddy Fire Department near West, Texas, and was taking an emergency medical technician class at the West Fire Department at the time of the blasts, Rauch said. Sanders’ EMT class responded to the initial plant fire to help evacuate residents, Rauch said. He reportedly was caught in the second blast.

Sanders and his classmates were near the plant as the explosion ripped through, Rauch said. “Kevin was one of several first responders who gave their lives in the evacuation effort,” he said.

Sanders had been with the Bruceville-Eddy Fire Department for about two years, Rauch said. Details about the honor transport will be released when complete, he added.

Plans to honor Sanders are being coordinated with several local and state fire and law enforcement agencies, Rauch said.

Tags: Bruceville-Eddy Fire Department, Frankfort Assistant Fire Chief Larry Rauch, Kevin Sanders, massive explosion in West, Plainfield native to be honored for sacrifice, Plainfield's emergency management agency, Texas