North Amityville fire chief died in line of duty, officials say

North Amityville Fire Company Chief Darryl Rollins has died unexpectedly in what a department spokesman called a line-of-duty death.

Rollins, 42, was found unresponsive by family members Wednesday morning, said Fire Company spokesman Sidney Gellineau. Suffolk police and an emergency medical technician from the North Amityville Fire Company responded to Rollins' home. They performed CPR on Rollins but he was pronounced dead later Wednesday at Good Samaritan Hospital Medical Center in West Islip, Gellineau said.

"We really grieve his loss," Gellineau said Thursday. "He was a benefit to the department. His heart was in the department and he always tried to do the right thing, both for the department and in the community. The department is going to miss him."

He did not know what caused Rollins' death. It is considered a line-of-duty death because Rollins was on the job less than 24 hours before he died, Gellineau said. 

Rollins had responded to a call at 7 p.m. Tuesday for an investigation into a fire before heading home, Gellineau said.

He was serving his first year as fire chief and had been with the volunteer department for 11 years, Gellineau said. Rollins had previously served as assistant chief and second assistant chief, Gellineau said. 

Suffolk County Fire Rescue and Emergency Services earlier had posted a statement on its social media page announcing the chief's death.

"It is with deepest regret the North Amityville Fire Company announces the Line of Duty Death of Chief of Department Darryl Rollins," the statement said.

With John Valenti