Update: Littleville Firefighters Remember Accident Victim

LITTLEVILLE, Ala. (WHNT) – The man who died in a rollover accident in Colbert County this morning was a Littleville volunteer firefighter.

Chris Vandiver died at a local hospital.  The Littleville Volunteer Fire Department confirmed he was a member of their squad.

Fire officials say Vandiver was riding in the back seat of the car when it flipped and landed on an embankment.

Tuesday, members of the Littleville Fire Department spent the day at the station, remembering Vandiver. 

“It took us awhile to actually realize it was him in the car, then it got bad,” said Rodney McAnally, Littleville Volunteer Fire Department.

Emergency crews worked quickly to get everyone out of the mangled vehicle.  Fire officials say the driver walked away from the crash, unharmed.  Two other victims were taken to the hospital by a medical helicopter and Vandiver was rushed in an ambulance to get medical help.

“First thing you want to think about is, ‘I hope he`s ok’, we need to do everything we can to save him,” said McAnally.

Police say the driver of the Jeep Durango lost control and rolled, skidding through three yards.  While the remnants of the accident have been picked up, Chris’s brothers at the fire station say his memory will last forever.

“I believe we are all going to miss him but you know, like they say, we`ll stick together and keep doing what we do, cuz that`s what Chris wants us to do,” said Nathan Sheffield, who worked alongside Vandiver at the fire department. 

Just hours after the accident, the small station got that chance.

A call went out for help, and the crew responded for the first time, without Vandiver as part of the department.

“Send out some prayers for us, we definitely need everything we can get in a time like this, it`s rough on us,” said McAnally.