Friends remembered Craig Dorsey as a jokester, a dedicated volunteer and —his most recent attribute — a father.

Dorsey, 24, of MacArthur, died Tuesday at the scene of an accidental propane gas explosion at the Little General Store and gas station on U.S. 19 in Ghent.

He was a volunteer firefighter and emergency medical technician (EMT) responding to a gas leak call in his capacity with the Ghent Volunteer Fire Department.

As young as he was, Dorsey had already devoted nearly 10 years of his life to volunteer work with local fire departments.

“He grew up in the fire department and loved it,” said Jeff Stover, a former volunteer firefighter who worked with Dorsey at the Sophia City Volunteer Fire Department.

Bob Meadows, his high school principal, recalled how the 2002 Independence graduate always had a passion for helping others and began volunteering with the Sophia department as early as 14 or 15.

Meadows said the school was stunned, having lost two alumni, Dorsey and 21-year-old Jeff Treadway, who was working on propane tanks when the explosion occurred.

“They’re in our hearts and in our prayers,” Meadows said.

“He was just a fine young man,” he added. “He never caused us any trouble. He had a passion for working and volunteering and helping as an EMT or with the fire department. It was his first love, and as tragic as what has happened is, he died doing what he loved to do.”

Stover echoed that sentiment, saying: “I do know that if he had to go, he wouldn’t have wanted to go any other way, trying to help someone else when they’re experiencing their worst — the same way a lot of other folks in emergency services feel.”

He talked of fond memories he made working alongside an even younger Dorsey...