‘Tremendous tragedy’: Firefighter killed in Leonardtown

A firefighter died after he fought a house fire in Leonardtown, Maryland, early Tuesday, authorities said.

The firefighter’s name was not immediately released.

The firefighter was assigned to Naval Air Station Patuxent River, spokesman Patrick Gordon said, calling his death a “tremendous tragedy.”

Firefighters responded to a house fire in the 20500 block of Deer Wood Park Drive at about 5:30 a.m., the Mechanicsville Volunteer Fire Department said. Several departments responded to the call.

“May day, may day, may day,” someone can be heard saying on a dispatch call.

The firefighter fell through the first floor and became trapped, the Mechanicsville department said. He was located and was rushed to a hospital.

Firefighters brought the house fire under control. Chopper4 footage shows a pile of wreckage in a wooded area where a house once stood.

An investigation is underway. Deputy fire marshals from across the state are assisting in the investigation, the Maryland State Fire Marshal said.

First responders in the region and beyond are mourning the firefighter’s death, Gordon, the Naval Air Station Patuxent River spokesman, said.

“When we lose a member of our team like this, it hurts deeply,” he said.

Leonardtown, in St. Mary’s County, is about 65 miles southeast of Washington, D.C.

Stay with NBC Washington for more details on this developing story.