After responding to a residential fire, Captain Mike Tipoti and Captain Allen Velega were returning to the firehouse when the apparatus they were in crashed at a sharp curve after coming down a mountain road. Captain Tipoti, who was driving the apparatus, was pronounced deceased at the scene. Captain Velega was pronounced deceased shortly after his arrival at the hospital emergency room.
Incident Location: Afono Road, American Samoa
American Samoa Fire Bureau Division of the Department of Public Saftey
P.O. Box 1086
Pago Pago, American Samoa 96799
Chief: Commissioner HTC Le’i Sonny Thompson
Fatality status is provisional and may change as USFA contacts State Fire Marshals to verify fatality incident information.
| Age: | 50 |
|---|---|
| Rank: | Captain |
| Classification: | Career |
| Incident date: | April 30, 2020 05:51 |
| Date of death: | April 30, 2020 |
| Cause of death: | Vehicle Collision - Includes Aircraft |
| Nature of death: | Trauma |
| Activity type: | Riding Vehicle/Apparatus |
| Emergency duty: | Yes |
| Duty type: | Returning |
| Fixed property use: | Residential |
