Texas Fire Chief Killed Fighting Blaze in Tiny Town Devastated by Wildfires

A volunteer fire chief in the tiny Texas town of Fritch, which has been devastated by recent wildfires in the Texas Panhandle, died Tuesday after he suffered a medical while fighting a structure blaze.

The neighboring town of Borger confirmed the death of Zeb Smith, saying his death is a “profound loss” to the community, especially after a tumultuous week where volunteer firefighters have worked around-the-clock to protect the community from wildfires.

In a statement, Borger officials said Smith was the first to arrive at the scene of a structure fire on Tuesday when he faced “unforeseen challenges” that sent him straight to a hospital in Borger, where he died.

Read more at The Daily Beast.