Louisville-area firefighter dies in accidental drowning at Barren River Lake

An Anchorage Middletown Fire and EMS firefighter is dead after an off-duty accident Monday.

Jordan Yuodis, spokesperson for Anchorage Middletown Fire and EMS, said Sgt. Christian Smith died in an "accidental drowning" while boating with friends at Barren River Lake in southern Kentucky, near Glasgow and Scottsville. A medical examiner's report detailing Smith's cause of death has not yet been released.

The 35-year-old joined the organization in 2014 and was a member of the organization's rescue company, "which is essentially the SWAT team for the fire department, it's the elite of the elite," Yuodis said. He was a husband and father of three young children and graduated with Yuodis from Fairdale High School.

"Young dad, family man. He loved the fire department. He loved Fairdale sports. He loved his kids," Yuodis said.

A PayPal fund is accepting donations for Smith's family, according to a Facebook post from Jefferson County Professional Firefighters . Funeral arrangements have not yet been announced.

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This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: Louisville-area firefighter dies in accidental drowning at Barren River Lake