An Apopka Fire Department firefighter who was seriously injured during a workplace incident on June 30 has passed away.
Austin Duran, who joined the Apopka Fire Department in July 2020, passed away on Friday, July 15 from injuries he sustained while dealing with heavy equipment last month. Duran was severely injured when a sand bucket container tipped and crushed him, according to a GoFundMe account established by his sister, Sierra Duran.
Duran suffered traumatic injuries to his spine, including a shattered vertebra, 6 fractured ribs, a punctured lung, a compound fracture of his leg, and a fractured humerus in his arm.
“There are truly no words for the magnitude of this particular loss. We lost our brother, our friend, and a member of our family. Our hearts are broken for our department, for Austin’s family, and for our community,” reads a statement from the Apopka Fire Department.
The GoFundMe established on Duran’s behalf just crossed the $80,000 mark in route to its $100,000 goal. To contribute to the fund, visit the Austin Duran GoFundMe page.
“It is in these moments of sheer tragedy where our brother/sisterhood is reminded of the brevity of life, and the importance of standing together as a family. We ask that everyone continue to pray over our entire department, and to lift us up during this time, to come together as a community and family to lead each other through this unspeakable loss.”