WEST, Texas — The West Volunteer Firefighter who died while responding to a crash on Tuesday has been identified as 60-year-old Edward Hykel.
Hykel worked for the city for 16 years, both in the fire and water department. West Mayor Tommy Muska described him as a "valuable employee" and "unique individual".
"He would be the person you go to," Muska said.
"He'd do whatever you asked — never complained about anything. That's what him so unique about him — he just did what had to be done."
Hykel responded to the deadly West explosion in 2013.
Despite getting 'a lot of injuries', Muska said he returned to the department ready to get back to work.
"He made it through that," Muska said.
"He was a survivor, but unfortunately today — God called him home."
Hykel was hit — along with two Texas Department of Public Safety troopers — while responding to a crash on I-35 near Exit 345 just before 1 p.m. on Tuesday.
Despite Texas having a 'Move Over' law, which requires drivers to move one lane over for first responders, DPS said a semi-trailer driver "disregarded the traffic control devices and struck the fire truck and two patrol units."
"If you think going into a burning building is dangerous — working I-35 is a whole lot more dangerous," Muska said.
He went on to tell reporters he hopes drivers learn from this devastating incident and try to be more careful on the roads.
"If there's a first responder doing something, move over and give them the courtesy to do their jobs," Muska said.
