Schell City Fire Chief dies at July 4 blaze

Tuesday, July 7, 2009
By Steve Moyer -- Nevada Daily Mail

Schell City is mourning the death of Schell City Fire Chief Dale Haddix, 70, who perished after having responded to a July 4 fire caused by what officials described as "the improper use of fireworks."

Haddix died while assisting with firefighting efforts, and officials hope an autopsy on Haddix, whose body has been transported to Springfield for examination, will determine a cause of death.

"We don't have any results yet and it might take awhile, we'll just have to see." Vernon County Sheriff Ron Peckman said.

Peckman said Haddix was dedicated to keeping the community safe.

"You couldn't keep him away from a fire," Peckman said. "He was a good guy and loved helping the community."

Haddix was well thought of in the community -- so much so that local resident Thelma Shutters penned a poem in his honor, which appears on the Opinion page of today's edition of the Nevada Daily Mail.

Peckman said arson charges had been filed against Charles Stewart, 18, Schell City, and other charges were being considered.

"A warrant has been issued with two counts of arson with a $50,000 bond," Peckman said.

Case information available online indicated that Stewart was arraigned in a Vernon County Circuit court Monday morning, and pleaded not guilty. His next court appearance, a pre-trial conference, is set for July 16.

"The investigation is continuing with the Vernon County Sheriff's Office and the State Fire Marshall's office," Peckman said.

Officials said Saturday's fire began in an unoccupied dwelling and spreadfrom there to a storage building to the west owned by the Schell City Methodist Church.

Due to the ongoing investigation, officials did not release specific information on how fireworks were misused.

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Dale was a wonderful,loving and caring man. He will be missed dearly by those who knew him.

My prayers and thoughts go out to his family

^i^

-- Posted by mcb on Tue, Jul 7, 2009, at 8:08 AM

I was a classmate of Dale's and am sorry to hear about his passing. My sympahy goes out to his family and friends.

Janice Sales Jennings

-- Posted by sgsahj on Tue, Jul 7, 2009, at 8:32 PM

I feel terrible for this man and his family, in which I personally know his son, but this tragedy brings back terrible memories for me about 12-10-08, in which I depended on the firemen and several arrived a short time after I rushed home from work and there is a very big possibility that my girls were still alive because my surviving children didn't have as much as the smallest amount of smoke inhalation and they had gotten out just minutes before all of us arrived;with my thirteen year-old daughter being the hero, pulling her little brother out of the burning house without any personal protective equiptment but not one firefighter stepped a foot inside-another hero was our neighbor Rick Erwin- who got burned trying to save my little girls. I tried to go in and Officer Burger kept pulling me away saying "Ma'am Stay Back", "Ma'am Stay Back". I remember saying to him "If they were your kids, could you stay back?" I begged for those professionals to at least try to save my girls, but they didn't. One thing that stands out in my mind is when the firetruck ran out of water, I asked if they could use our water-hydrant or our hose? The fireman told me there wasn't enough pressure. I know it was early in the morning, but even I know some water is better than no water.

-- Posted by MISS MY GIRLS on Thu, Jul 16, 2009, at 4:55 PM

My point of this is my girls tragedy was considered an accident.Was it? Or was it wrongful death? Who is to judge? Because my girls were at the mercy of the professionals who did not do their job properly. I got a bill for $3901 in my correct name on the 30th of Dec. but in order to get the correct name and address on the accident report from the fire dept., I had to wait until the FireChief came back from Vacation on the 5th of January.Dale was a HERO!!!He was doing what he lived for up until he died. This kid is being charged because his firework went in the wrong direction . Isn't that considered an accident?

-- Posted by MISS MY GIRLS on Thu, Jul 16, 2009, at 5:43 PM