Veteran Firefighter Electrocuted While Responding to Crash in Delaware County

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HANCOCK, NY – A heartbreaking accident during a routine emergency response claimed the life of a dedicated firefighter Thursday night in Delaware County.

On July 17, 2025, around 9:30 p.m., Assistant Chief Jason McGlone, 51, of the East Branch Fire Department, was responding to a vehicle crash on State Highway 30 in the town of Hancock. While driving a rescue pumper to the scene, McGlone encountered a low-hanging power line that came into contact with the top of the fire truck.

As McGlone stepped out of the vehicle and touched the metal door while grounded, he was fatally electrocuted.

Fellow responders attempted life-saving measures, but tragically, McGlone was pronounced dead at the scene.

The initial crash involved a pickup truck driven by Joseph E. Bellows, 54, of Downsville, NY. Bellows had veered off the road, hitting a guardrail and utility pole. He was transported to Delaware Valley Hospital for evaluation and treatment.

Following a police investigation, Bellows was arrested and charged with Driving While Intoxicated. He has been issued appearance tickets and is expected in Hancock Town Court on September 8, 2025.

The New York State Police at Deposit are continuing their investigation into the circumstances surrounding Assistant Chief McGlone’s death.

The East Branch community and the wider firefighting family are left mourning the loss of a veteran firefighter who gave his life in the service of others.