Burrillville firefighters mourn longtime volunteer Castonguay
BURRILLVILLE – The Harrisville Fire Department Friday was mourning the loss of one of its own. The sudden death of senior volunteer firefighter Lawrence R. Castonguay, 73, in a car accident on Wednesday, has left the fire company and its members grieving.
“There’s a different feeling around the station this morning,” said an emotional Harrisville Fire Department Safety Officer Amanda K. Gingell, president of the Harrisville Hose Company 1, the social arm of the Fire Department.
Castonguay, of Mowry Street, Harrisville, was killed and his wife is in critical condition, after the truck they were riding in was struck by a car on Route 44 in West Glocester Wednesday night.
Castonguay was a passenger in the truck driven by his wife, Marie, when they struck by a car being driven by Samuel Smith, 27, of Thompson, Connecticut. Smith was arrested and is facing several charges, including driving to endanger death resulting.
Marie Castonguay is expected to survive and remains at Rhode Island Hospital where she underwent surgery Thursday night.
On Friday, flags at the Harrisville fire station on Central Street were lowered to half- staff and black bunting adorned the front of the station.
Inside the station, a fallen firefighter’s memorial flag was affixed to Castonguay’s locker and his photograph was placed on the chair he sat in during hose company meetings.
“We are a quieter station today and our concern now is for Larry’s wife, Marie. We want to be there for the family,” said Assistant Fire Chief Michael Gingell.
Castonguay has two sons, one who lives in Burrillville and the other in Kentucky.
Castonguay, a firefighter for nearly 44 years, was one of the Hose Company’s longest serving members. The Hose Company was organized in February of 1912 as a firefighting organization. Today the 34-member company supports various community activities within the town of Burrillville and the village of Harrisville.
Castonguay was a parishioner at St. Patrick’s Church in Harrisville and was a volunteer maintenance man at the Brothers of the Sacred Heart provincial house in Pascoag.
Described as a true public servant and pillar of the community, Castonguay was remembered by his colleagues and friends for his many years of fire service to a town he loved.
“Larry was a dedicated firefighter for more than 40 years and a real important member of our team,” said Chief Gingell. “Beyond that he was a true gentleman who did so much for his community.”
Gingell said the town’s other fire departments have all reached to out Harrisville since Wednesday and the Rhode Island Fire Chiefs Association’s Local Assistance State Team, which provides assistance to fire departments that experience a death of a firefighter, has also stepped forward to help the department.
“We are all deeply saddened,” said Harrisville Fire Chief Mark St. Pierre. “Larry had been sidelined recently because of medical issues and he had just been cleared by his doctors to return to active duty.”
St. Pierre described Castonguay s a quiet, soft spoken man who was the handyman of the department.
“He could fix anything,” he said. “If something didn’t work, he got it working.
He will be missed and we are praying for Marie’s quick recovery.”
Glocester police say the accident that claimed Castonguay’s life occurred around 10:04 p.m. Wednesday on Route 44 near Cady’s Tavern.
According to police reports, Smith was leaving the parking lot of Cady’s Tavern in his 1988 Chevy Monte Carlo SS, spinning his tires onto Putnam Pike and heading west bound, when he lost control and crossed into the east bound lane and struck Castonguay’s truck.
Castonguay’s truck left the roadway and struck a large tree before coming to rest, police said.
Smith, who was treated at the scene for minor injuries, was arrested by Glocester police and charged with driving to endanger death resulting and driving to endanger resulting in serious bodily injury, both felonies.
Smith pled not guilty at his arraignment Thursday in 3rd District Court. He is being held on $10,000 surety bail pending his next court appearance on Nov. 17. Follow Joseph Fitzgerald on Twitter @jofitz7