Springfield Township remembers firefighter who died in oxygen tank explosion

Off-Duty Springfield Twp. firefighter killed in accident

Lieutenant Jonathan Miner was a beloved father, friend, brother, and Springfield Township firefighter. His brother says the family's lives changed forever on Sunday around 10:30 a.m.

SPRINGFIELD TWP., Mich. (FOX 2) - An esteemed Springfield Township firefighter has suddenly and tragically died. Meanwhile, his family and friends are mourning his loss.

Lt. Jonathan Miner, known for his smile and for saving others, has sadly died and his brother Timothy Miner took a moment to speak with FOX 2 through his grief.

"My brother was a good guy," said Miner. "He was 50 years old. He was a foster father. He and his wife adopted four or five foster children, plus the three children that they have of their own."

The backstory:

Lieutenant Jonathan Miner was a beloved father, friend, brother, and Springfield Township firefighter. His brother says the family's lives changed forever on Sunday around 10:30 a.m.

"Everybody is kind of heartbroken. It was a tragic accident," he said. "He was making a toilet paper roll with an old firefighter oxygen tank. He’s done it plenty of times before, and this time when he was doing it, he cut it open. When he cut it open, it exploded, and shrapnel went through his chest."

Springfield Fire says they were dispatched that morning to report a traumatic injury after "something had just blown up."

They quickly learned it was one of their own.

"The sad thing is I was in Pontiac at this time, helping a friend move when I heard a bunch of cops and ambulances and stuff," Miner said. "Come to find out it was my brother. He had a police escort to McLaren Hospital where he was pronounced dead."

The fire department says he was known for his "dedication, humor, and ever-present smile." Now, they and his family are determined to keep his legacy alive.

"I mean, you know, it’s my brother. I love my brother. I’m more worried about my nieces and my nephews and my sister-in-law," Miner said.

What you can do:

There are a few ways to help the family, including GoFundMe and the Yard Foundation.