Steward Gandy passed away while fighting a house fire on May 6th, 1979.

Gandy, a member of the Collegedale, TN Tri-Community Volunteer Fire Department, was killed after he and other firefighters responded to a blaze at a small frame home on Woodland Drive in Summit around 11:30pm. Firefighters were searching for occupants inside the home when Gandy was heard calling for help. Due to the intense conditions, it took some time to find the distressed firefighter and he was transported by ambulance to Erlanger Medical Center and pronounced dead on arrival.

Steward was a 1977 graduate of Ooltewah High School and was an employee of the Electro-Lite Battery Co.
“Stu” as he was known to his friends, had been a member of the department for less than a year and had not yet completed his rookie training. He was known for being one of the best natured firemen in the department and for helping out with whatever needed to be done.