BATESBURG-LEESVILLE, S.C. — A funeral took place Tuesday afternoon for a Lexington County Fire Services firefighter who died in the line of duty last week.
The procession transported the body of Fire Engineer Paul Quattlebaum to the Batesburg-Leesville High School Fine Arts Center located at 600 Summerland Avenue, where a memorial service took place at 4 p.m.
Quattlebaum, a 22-year veteran of the agency, had been dispatched to a service call around 3:30 p.m. Friday. While he was headed to the scene, he and his partner saw a car crash in the 5200 block of Fairview Road. The firefighters stopped to check on those involved, and while they were doing their duty, Quattlebaum was struck by the semi.
EMS began giving care to Quattlebaum at the scene, and he was taken to the hospital, where he later died.
Quattlebaum, who is from Batesburg-Leesville, began with the agency as a volunteer firefighter in 1997. He became full-time in 2000, and was promoted to fire engineer in 2002. From October 2017 to March 2018, he also served as a ride-up captain, which is when a fire engineer serves in the roll of a captain when others are off duty.
The long-time firefighter also was a lance corporal for the United State Marine Corps, serving as a field-radio operator from 1992 to 1994. He received a medical discharge due to injury.
Recently he was serving at Fire Station 27 in Samaria. Since his passing, a memorial has been placed outside the fire station.