Friends and neighbours are mourning after a 66-year-old man was struck and killed by a police vehicle Saturday afternoon.
Neighbours tell CTV News the man who died was a retired firefighter who served 20 years with the North Sydney Volunteer Fire Department. He was helping emergency crews responding to a call next door to his home when he died.
Flags at the North Sydney fire station flew at half mast Sunday. Former colleagues called the man caring and loyal.
“He was quite the connoisseur of chicken soup, and one of the things we looked forward to after a long fire was a bowl,” fire chief Lloyd MacIntosh said. “Even after he retired, he stocked us up. He filled the freezer full of chicken soup for us.”
Saturday was the man’s 66th birthday. His name is not being released until family has been notified.
“He was always helping people out, blowing their driveways out or giving them a drive somewhere,” said neighbour Terry Dinham. “He loved his daughter. He was just a good guy all around.”
Cape Breton Regional Police and EHS were responding to a call on Perry Street in North Sydney at about 3:20 p.m. Saturday, where a young child had fallen out of the window of a home. The two-year-old child was taken to hospital with what appeared to be non-life threatening injuries.
Investigators say the police vehicle was leaving the scene when the incident occurred. It had travelled only a short distance when it struck a pedestrian near the intersection of Peppett and Perry streets. The man died a short time later.
Nova Scotia’s Serious Incident Response Team (SIRT) is investigating the man’s death. Anyone who witnessed the incident is being asked to contact SIRT at 1-855-450-2010.
With files from CTV Atlantic's Ryan MacDonald
