Rice Lake Township Firefighter Died From Unknown Illness

RICE LAKE TOWNSHIP, Minn. (AP) — Officials say a veteran firefighter died from an unknown illness while on a medical-emergency call north of Duluth.

According to the Minnesota State Fire Department Association, 57-year-old Randy Hiti of the Rice Lake Fire Department was responding to a call Wednesday night when he suffered a medical episode at his home. His family found him collapsed on the floor of the garage.

Some of Hiti's colleagues responded to the 911 call and tried to revive him for about an hour. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

Hiti had been with the fire department for 26 years. He had taught fire prevention to Duluth third-graders at Homecroft Elementary School for the past decade.

Hiti will be buried at Calvary Cemetery in Superior, Wisconsin.