FAYETTE COUNTY, Ohio — In a solemn tribute to the lives of Concord-Green Fire Chief Ralph Stegbauer and Fire Captain Jeffery Skaggs, Governor Mike DeWine has issued an order for the United States and Ohio flags to fly at half-staff across public buildings and grounds in Fayette County. The tribute extends to landmarks such as the Ohio Statehouse, the Vern Riffe Center, and the Rhodes State Office Tower, lasting until sunset on the day of their funerals.
This gesture, announced today, coincides with the ongoing flag-lowering in honor of former First Lady Rosalynn Carter, set to continue until November 29th.
The two veteran firefighters tragically lost their lives in a Saturday accident outside the Concord-Green Township Fire Department in the Village of Staunton. Chief Stegbauer and Captain Skaggs were identified as the victims of an overturned mechanical lift incident reported to the Fayette County Sheriff’s Office 9-1-1 Center at 11:05 a.m. According to Fayette County Coroner Dr. Lenora Fitton, both succumbed to fatal injuries at the scene.
The investigation revealed that the two firefighters were using the lift for radio tower repairs when it tipped over, ejecting them from the tower basket several feet above the ground, as reported by Sheriff Vernon P. Stanforth. The Fayette County Sheriff’s Office, in collaboration with the Pickaway County Sheriff’s Office Crash Reconstruction team, is actively investigating the incident.
Concord-Green Fire Department is currently out of service, and neighboring fire agencies in the county will handle service calls in Concord and Green townships until further notice, Sheriff Vernon P. Stanforth announced. The Sheriff expressed condolences to the Stegbauer and Skaggs families, as well as the dedicated men and women of the Concord-Green Fire Department.
