SALT LAKE CITY — Officials from Unified Fire Authority announced the death of Captain Merrill Bone Sunday evening.

Bone, a 36-year firefighter veteran, passed away from complications of COVID-19.

According to a social media post by Unified Fire, Bone’s death is being treated as a line of duty death. A procession of  fire apparatus transported him from the hospital to the mortuary Sunday evening.

Bone began his career with the Salt Lake City Fire Department. With SLCFD, Bone served as a firefighter and a paramedic.

He was also a member of Utah Task Force 1. With UTTF1, Bone was deployed several times, including to New York City following the events of Sept. 11, 2001.

After 20 years of service, Bone retired from SLCFD. In 2006, he joined Unified Fire where he served as a paramedic, and was promoted to Captain in 2013.

“Captain Bone has been a very influential member of the Fire Service not only those to Salt Lake Valley, but nationally,” a statement from Unified Fire read. “Merrill’s legacy will live on in the lives of those he helped mentor in his 35 years of dedication to the service of others. Captain Bone, although you may be gone, you will never be forgotten.”

Read more:

• Unified Fire responds to wildfire at mouth of Parley’s Canyon
• Unified Fire Authority prepares for wildfire season in Utah

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