SALISBURY — Lexington Firefighter Capt. Ronnie Metcalf died on March 29 at Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist in Winston-Salem after experiencing injuries from a house fire three days before. 

On March 26, Lexington FD answered a call to a fire on West 5th Street at a little after midnight. Once they were finished with an interior fire attack in an effort to put it out, an evacuation of the building was conducted. However, the department discovered there was one firefighter missing, who turned out to be Metcalf. They then went back inside to retrieve Metcalf where he was later helicoptered to Atrium Health for treatment. 

Salisbury Fire Chief Bob Parnell said the Salisbury Fire Department are response partners with Lexington and that they have been doing everything in their power to help them as they navigate through this difficult time. 

“We have had a profound sense of sadness at Capt. Metcalf’s passing. We’ve been supporting the Lexington Fire Department, covering some of their fire station duties since the captain’s passing,” Parnell said. “It’s our honor to support the Lexington Fire Department in this time of need. We were supported 16 years ago when we lost Justin and Vic and we know how it’s needed and appreciated.” 

Justin Monroe and Victor Isler were two Salisbury firefighters who both died in a commercial fire in 2008. 

Metcalf, a 19-year veteran of the Lexington Fire Department, is survived by his wife and children. There have since been two arrests made in connection to the fire.