DENVER (KDVR) — A 21-year-old firefighter from Boulder was killed while working for the U.S. Forest Service in Oregon.

According to the Forest Service, Benjamin Charles Sapper was killed in an on-duty accident on Aug. 4 near Powers, Oregon. He was employed by the Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest and worked as a first-year hand crew member in the Gold Beach Ranger District.

“This is a devastating loss of one of our own Gold Beach firefighters. We have a tight-knit community on the Gold Beach and Powers Ranger Districts, and we stand together in grief and support for his family, friends, and fellow firefighters during this heartbreaking time,” said Gold Beach District Ranger Kailey Guerrant.  

Sapper graduated from Boulder High School and the University of Colorado with a bachelor’s degree in applied mathematics.

“He joined the Forest Service out of a desire to serve the community and be part of a great team. Benjamin was looking forward to starting graduate school this fall at the University of British Columbia in Earth Sciences. He was truly loved and will be missed,” said the Forest Service in a release.

The Forest Service plans to release additional information on how they will honor Sapper at a later date.