Philly Firefighter Dies After Dive Into Shallow Water

A 58-year-old Philadelphia firefighter died three days after diving into shallow water at the Jersey shore.

This is the first time someone died while lifeguards were on duty at the 10th Avenue Beach in Belmar, N.J., reports the Asbury Park Press.

Belmar lifeguards rescued Lee Scarborough as soon as he dove into the surf at the beach last Wednesday.

“The lifeguards said that as soon as he (the man) dove into the water, they knew what happened and they rushed to help,’’ Lifeguard supervisor Bill Karatz told the APP.

Scarborough was pronounced dead Saturday at Jersey Shore University Medical Center in Neptune.

Karatz told the Asbury Park Press Scarborough had sustained a neck injury.

Karatz said that there were two resuces at the same beach Saturday, in which both swimmer suffered neck and spinal injuries, reports the APP.

A 70-year-old man dove into the shallow water “just like (Scarborough),” Karatz told the APP.