The top fire official in Tioga County was killed Wednesday when a county pickup truck struck him while backing up, officials said.
Tioga County Fire Coordinator John Scott, 71, of Campville, was one of several employees who were performing maintenance at a county radio tower on Carmichael Road in the Town of Owego when he was struck around 3 p.m., according to the Tioga County Sheriff's Office.
The investigation into the accident by the sheriff's office is continuing and authorities did not release additional details Thursday about the incident.
Scott had served as county fire coordinator since 1999. He was also a 45-year member of the Campville Fire Department and served in several leadership roles over the years, including fire chief. Campville Fire Chief Mark Daniel knew Scott for about 15 years and said Scott was like a beloved member of the family.
"If you were commanding a scene you wanted him by your side. He has been like a father to a lot of us and a mentor," Daniel said. "If you ever had a problem or a question about being a new chief or being a firefighter you could always go to John. We've always been a close family. The department right now is still in shock and it is still hard to accept that John is no longer with us."