His bravery was already known during a distinguished 40-year-career in the fire service. But at the age of 64, having come out of retirement, as a senior officer, John Johnson Hunt still led his crews from the front.
As Superintendent he was with them in the midst of danger as they fought to tackle a blaze which was tearing through the Brooklands Hotel in Sale on Monday July 6th 1909. But part of the roof collapsed on him leaving him buried under hot debris. He suffered serious burns and died from pneumonia triggered by his injuries.
The high regard with which he was held was reflected by the numbers who turned out for his funeral. The Sale Guardian of July 14th that year, reported: "Most impressive scenes were witnessed at the funeral at Brooklands Cemetery. Probably never in the history of Sale has so large a concourse assembled on a like occasion; all along the route to the cemetery the footpaths were thickly lines and there were thousands in the cemetery grounds. At St Paul's in Sale, the council offices, and public buildings flags were flown at half-mast and the manifestation of genuine sorrow was universal."
