New report details cause of death for CT firefighter who collapsed while fighting fire in 2021

The investigation is complete into the death of a 26-year-old Burlington firefighter who suffered a medical emergency while fighting a fire in New Hartford in 2021.

Colin McFadden suffered a medical emergency while fighting a fire at the historic New Hartford House. He was rushed to John Dempsey Hospital where he underwent emergency surgery.

Fire officials had said that doctors discovered McFadden had an undiagnosed form of leukemia.

Now, a new report from The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) confirms that McFadden died from complications from "right heart failure" due to acute promyelocytic leukemia.

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According to the report, "Gastrointestinal bleeding and prolonged bruising" had occurred before McFadden collapsed. NIOSH, which is part of the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, issued two recommendations within their report, related to this death:

Key Recommendation #1: Fire Departments should educate members on the signs and
symptoms of leukemia and other cancers with a young adult age of onset.
Key Recommendation #2: Fire Departments should ensure there is a communication protocol regarding abnormal results of a medical screening examination so that timely follow-up can
occur.

The NIOSH report says that when McFadden applied to be a firefighter in 2020, part of his application process included medical tests. According to the report, his stool sample in that initial examination had been "abnormal," though the report found no instance of notifications, follow-up appointments, or further documentation.

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The report also highlights recent bruising that McFadden noticed had not been healing at the speed he thought it would.

The 26-year-old Burlington firefighter who suffered a medical emergency while fighting a fire in New Hartford Tuesday morning has died. On Thursday afternoon, a procession was held and firefighters were at the funeral home to salute their fallen colleague.

Back in 2021, Bristol Fire Department Deputy Chief David Butkus said, “We lost one of our own, you know one of our family so as anybody losing their family member that’s how we feel about it, it’s that strong."

McFadden was born and raised in Bristol, and is listed on the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation Roll of Honor.