Missouri firefighter dies from 9/11-related cancer

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

A man who served in Missouri Task Force 1 during the response to the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks in New York has died, the Boone County Fire Protection District wrote Thursday on its social media.

Heaving Rigging Specialist Larry Duncan died from a cancer on Wednesday that was related to the toxic materials first-responders were exposed to after the attacks, Boone County Fire wrote.

“On September 11, 2001, the FEMA National Operations Center issued activation orders for Missouri Task Force 1 to deploy to New York City in response to the terrorist attacks that destroyed the World Trade Center towers. Sixty-two brave men and women of Missouri Task Force 1 left their homes, their work, their friends and their families to deploy to ‘Ground Zero,’ Boone County Fire wrote.

Duncan was a part of the team that spent 10 days looking for survivors in the rubble, Boone County Fire wrote.

“He was one of the many courageous responders who worked ‘the pile’ day after day. The hazards were great and the loss of life from that day is still occurring due to the toxic materials responders encountered,” Boone County Fire wrote. “Tragically, as a result of these exposures, Larry succumbed to a 9/11-related cancer on January 15, 2025.”

Funeral arrangements are being made at Markland-Yeager Funeral Home in New Franklin, the post says.