Bench unveiled for firefighter who died in crash

A bench has been unveiled in memory of a firefighter who died in a crash while responding to a 999 call.

Mark Hillier, watch manager for Dorset and Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service (DWFRS), was at a friend's house on 12 October 2023 when he received an emergency alert and jumped into his car.

On his way to the fire station, Hillier was involved in a collision on the A345. He suffered head injuries and died alongside his three dogs, who were also in the car.

At the bench unveiling on Monday, Andy Cole, chief fire officer at DWFRS, said: "He [Hillier] was one of life's genuinely good guys which makes it all the more tragic we lost him in the way we did."

"He was the life and soul of Pewsey fire station. Several generations of his family worked there. He was a real life hero," he added.

The new bench, donated by Pewsey Parish Council, includes the words "In loving memory of Mark Hillier", his nickname "Sparksy" and "First in, last out. Forever our hero."

The unveiling ceremony was attended by Hillier's family, friends and former colleagues, as well as the Lord Lieutenant of Wiltshire Dame Sarah Troughton and councillor Paul Oatway, vice chairman of Dorset and Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Authority.

Mark Lewis, an on-call firefighter who served with Hillier, said there had been a "real effort" for the community to come together and pay tribute to the local hero.

"The bench was designed by his wife and there are certain tributes to Mark in the bench...elements of the tattoos he had on his body, a tribute to his dogs who sadly passed, Mark's service number as well," he added.

The bench also features three birds on a branch representing the Hillier's children.

Hillier had been a firefighter for 28 years, joining Dorset and Wiltshire Fire Service in October 1995 as an on-call firefighter at Pewsey Fire Station.

He also did a stint in Surrey, working full-time as a firefighter in the area for nine years before transferring back to Dorset and Wiltshire to be the watch manager at Salisbury Fire Station.

Speaking in 2023, Hillier's widow Holly said her husband who had a "sense of duty and unwavering dedication" to serve his community "lived and breathed for the fire service".

"The love he had for his fire service family was unquestionable. We were so proud of him," she said.

The family's two spaniels, Teddy and Coco, died in the collision while another, Joey, died a few hours after the crash.

Holly said previously: "The intense pain and devastation of losing Mark and our dogs is unimaginable and indescribable. We are broken and will never be whole again.

"We will be forever proud of you, as we knew you were of us. Your bravery, selflessness and countless lives saved will be remembered always."

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