Alaska smokejumper dies in jump accident
Posted: Sunday, April 30, 2000
FORT WAINWRIGHT, Alaska (AP) -- An Alaska Fire Service smokejumper died in a parachuting accident Saturday near AFS facilities on Fort Wainwright, the federal Bureau of Land Management said.
The jumper, who was not identified, fell at about 5 p.m. He was taken to Bassett Army Hospital, where he was pronounced dead shortly after 5:30 p.m., the BLM, which operates the fire service, said in a release.
A national accident investigation team was being assembled, the bureau said.
The jumper's identity was being withheld pending notification of relatives.