South Pittsburg Mountain Volunteer Fire Department Lt. Scott Moreland The victim in a fatal accident at Lodge Cast Iron's distribution center in New Hope, Tennessee, has been identified as a local volunteer firefighter, according to local officials.
South Pittsburg Mountain Volunteer Fire Department Lt. Scott Moreland was killed Monday evening in an accident at the distribution center where he worked, according to Marion County Emergency Management Agency director Steve Lamb and posts on the fire department's social media page.
"It is with great pain that we announce the ... death of Lt. Scott Moreland," one post reads. "Lt. Moreland was a great asset to our fire department and his community.
"Our entire fire department is in mourning but are with his family," the post reads, noting that any fire calls in the district Tuesday night were temporarily being covered by the fire departments in the cities of South Pittsburg and Sewanee. "We ask everyone please pray for the family, fire department family and friends.
"Lt. Scott Moreland, you will be missed [a] lot by all of us here at the department. We love you, buddy."
A group of family, friends and firefighter colleagues brought Moreland home Tuesday night from Nashville, where his body was examined by the state medical examiner, according to another post. Firefighters and law enforcement lined the roadways for Moreland's return overnight.
"From the time we left the medical examiner office till we pulled up to the funeral home in Jasper, we was escorted by either law enforcement or fire department" personnel, the post said.
"Every county we passed through show[ed] tremendous respect and honor for Lt. Moreland," the post continued. "From the South Pittsburg Mountain Volunteer Fire Department and the family of Lt. Scott Moreland, we thank each and every department, agency and person who stopped and showed honor [and] respect from the bottom of our hearts."
Following that statement was a list of 25 departments, agencies and people who paid their respects along the route from Nashville to Jasper and "made his escort back home one to remember."
The Lodge distribution center where Moreland died was built in 2017 in the town of New Hope, across the Tennessee River from the main plant in South Pittsburg.
"We will do what Lodge does, we will take care of the family during this difficult time and we are committed to being as transparent as possible and share information as we can," Lodge president and CEO Mike Otterman said in a statement. "This is a significant loss, and we extend our deepest sympathies to our colleague's family, friends and coworkers during this time."
Lodge officials said the company has worked with authorities since they arrived on the scene Monday night and that an investigation into the accident was underway. Lodge's human resources department is providing support to the family and counseling for employees, officials said.
Contact Ben Benton at bbenton@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6569. Follow him on Twitter @BenBenton or at www.facebook.com/benbenton1.