Colorado Corrections Officer Dies in Explosion at Prison

FREMONT, Colorado -- A Colorado Department of Corrections staffer who died in a boiler explosion was identified Thursday as a 28-year-old husband and father of three young children.

Sgt. Joshua Voth died Wednesday afternoon, in the line of duty in an accident at the Fremont Correctional Facility in Cañon City, according to a corrections department news release.

Voth, who has been with the department since 2016, was a licensed trade supervisor who taught offenders trade skills, according to the release.

“It is hard to put into words the level of sadness we all feel to have lost Josh,” said CDOC Executive Director Dean Williams, in the release. “His DOC family grieves with his wife, three precious children, and all of the friends and family who loved him.”

The department is supporting and rallying around the Voth family, Williams said. A family benefit fund is being established, and the corrections department will release details in the coming days.

The explosion is under investigation by local and state officials.

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