Funeral services have been finalized for a local firefighter who died unexpectedly on the job. Christopher Daniels died Monday while on duty working part-time at the Pine Level Fire Department. Chris was a full-time firefighter with the Smithfield Fire Department. He also worked part-time with the Thanksgiving and Selma Fire Departments.
Chris graduated from Smithfield-Selma High School in 1993 and later joined the fire service. He served on the Governing Boards of the Selma Fire Department and Selma EMS. He also taught fire training classes at Johnston Community College. Chris was a member of the Branch Chapel Original Free Will Baptist Church where he taught Sunday School to third and fourth graders.
Funeral services will be held Friday at 11:00am at Branch Chapel Church. Burial with fire department honors will be held at the Price Cemetery near Pine Level. The family of Chris Daniels will receive friends at the church at 9:30am prior to the service.
The public is invited to pay their respects to Daniels at Parrish Funeral Home on Thursday from 11am until 5pm.
Chris was an Engineer/ Interim Captain on the Smithfield Fire Department. Interim Smithfield Fire Chief John Blanton said, “Chris loved life, loved people, loved the church of the community he served. He was of very strong faith. He was extremely dedicated to his family, his church and this department. This is a tremendous loss for all.”
According to Tim Kerigan, Human Resource Director and Public Information Officer for the Town of Smithfield, Daniels death appears to be of natural causes and not work related.
Memorial contributions may be made to the ProTeens at Branch Chapel Church, PO Box 100, Selma, NC 27576. Chris Daniels was 40 years old.
