A fisherman was swept of a small falls or pour-over, a volunteer fireman who was Fishing nearby attempted a rescue and drowned. We are trying to obtain further details and will send more info as it becomes available to us. George Bassler WELLSVILLE — A Wellsville man drowned Sunday afternoon after wading into a whirlpool in the Genesee River to rescue a companion during the Wellsville Trout Derby, Amity-based State Police said. Advertisement Ronald W. Thomas, 56, of 3516 Rauber St., was fishing with a group of men in a shallow upstream section of the river when one member of the group fell over a small waterfall flowing into the whirlpool, troopers said. Mr. Thomas lost consciousness in the water during the rescue. He was taken to Jones Memorial Hospital but he could not regain consciousness. “This person was a volunteer fireman. He was simply doing what he does in his line of duty,” Wellsville Trout Derby spokesman Al Mosher said. “His first thought was to save that person. It is very tragic that this happened.” The derby’s sponsor, the Wellsville Lions Club, is saddened by the tragedy, Mr. Mosher said. This is the first of its kind in the history of the derby. “We have done this for 19 years and we have had a lot of safe times and good times. I think that there is always a possibility of having an accident (when holding an event near water),” Mr. Mosher said.Unknown will forward if found