Zeb Smith: Local Texas fire chief succumbs to house fire after tireless 9-day wildfire fighting work

BORGER / HUTCHINSON COUNTY, TEXAS: A fire department chief tragically lost his life in a house fire after his small town has been devastated by the Texas wildfires.

Zeb Smith, 40, chief of the Fritch Fire Department, was the first on the scene of a structure fire at a home unrelated to the wildfires on the morning of March 5. He later died in the hospital, as per the Hutchinson County Office of Emergency Management's Facebook post.

What did the Hutchinson County officials say?

“During the response, Chief Smith faced unforeseen challenges and, despite emergency medical assistance and quick transportation to Golden Plains Community Hospital, tragically succumbed to his injuries,” officials added in the post.

Chief Smith's death came a week after the Smokehouse Creek Fire broke out in Hutchinson County, which includes the town of Fritch.

"This structure fire was not directly related to the ongoing wildfires. It did not start as a cause of those wildfires," Brandon Strope, public information officer, said at a press conference, per CBS News.

Public information officer Brandon Strope emphasized Zeb Smith's efforts in battling Smokehouse Creek Fire

"I would be remiss if I did not say that Chief Smith, along with every other volunteer firefighter in this county and in his department, has responded for the last nine days actively fighting these fires," Strope added. "So I think we all can say with pretty good certainty that it did have a role in today's unfortunate incident." 

The Texas A&M Forest Service declared on Wednesday, March 6, that the fire was about 44 percent contained and had burned an estimated 1,059,570 acres.

Smaller wildfires in the area, including the Magenta Fire and the Roughneck Fire, have been 85 percent and 100 percent contained as of Tuesday, March 5, per the agency.

Zeb Smith's close ones mourned his death

“Chief Zeb Smith served the Fritch and Hutchinson County community with selflessness and dedication,” Hutchinson County OEM wrote on Facebook. “His exemplary leadership was evident in his tireless efforts over the past week, where he worked diligently to protect and safeguard his community and fellow citizens.”

The department continued, "In this time of profound loss, our thoughts and condolences go out to Chief Smith's family, friends, and the entire Fritch community. We honor Chief Zeb Smith's legacy of service and express our deepest gratitude for his contributions to public safety."

A memorial service to celebrate Chief Smith's life is set to be announced later.