'He is known as a true firefighter': Hutchinson County mourns loss of Fire Chief Zeb Smith

Brianna Maestas, Amarillo Globe-News
·4 min read

BORGER - Hundreds of area firefighters, city officials and community members mourned the loss of Fritch Volunteer Fire Department Fire Chief Zeb Smith following his death in the line of duty early Tuesday.

Prior to a news conference held in the Borger Police Department conference room, family, friends, fellow firefighters and more took part in the convoy, which transported Smith from Borger to Lubbock for his autopsy Tuesday afternoon.

As the convoy was on its way, Fritch area officials stayed behind to express their condolences to Smith's family and the tragedy that this loss means for the community.

The body of Fritch Volunteer Fire Department Chief Zeb Smith is escorted through Amarillo Tuesday, as the convoy makes its way from Borger to Lubbock. Smith suffered a medical emergency and died while fighting a fire Tuesday, officials confirmed.
The body of Fritch Volunteer Fire Department Chief Zeb Smith is escorted through Amarillo Tuesday, as the convoy makes its way from Borger to Lubbock. Smith suffered a medical emergency and died while fighting a fire Tuesday, officials confirmed.
The body of Fritch Volunteer Fire Department Chief Zeb Smith is escorted through Amarillo Tuesday, as the convoy makes its way from Borger to Lubbock. Smith suffered a medical emergency and died while fighting a fire Tuesday, officials confirmed.
The body of Fritch Volunteer Fire Department Chief Zeb Smith is escorted through Amarillo Tuesday, as the convoy makes its way from Borger to Lubbock. Smith suffered a medical emergency and died while fighting a fire Tuesday, officials confirmed.

"He is widely known throughout the Panhandle, as well as throughout the state, due to many trainings that he has attended, and he is known as a true firefighter and a true servant leader. I'll miss Zeb and definitely know the community will miss him as well," Stinnett Fire Chief and Emergency Management Coordinator Alan Wells said during the news conference.

According to Brandon Strope, public information officer for the City of Borger and Hutchinson County Management, Smith was severely injured in a residential structure fire that occurred around 7:01 a.m. at 803 S. Cornell St. in Fritch.

Chief Smith reportedly arrived on the scene and entered the residence to identify if there was any other individual needing to be rescued, where he did not exit the residence. Smith was later found by a RIT, or the Rapid Intervention Team, at 7:30 a.m. who immediately began medical treatment while taking Smith to the Golden Plains Community Hospital located in Borger, where he later succumbed to his injuries and passed.

"Zeb was 40 years young. He had two boys that he was immensely proud of. He had tons of family, both blood and chosen, that he loved with everything, including the entire Firefighting and First Responder Community. All of which are devastated," the City of Borger / Hutchinson County Office of Emergency Management said in a Facebook post.

The cause of death had yet to be verified as of press time, but it will be announced following the autopsy results as requested by the Hutchinson County Justice of the Peace.

Stinnett Fire Chief and Emergency Management Coordinator Alan Wells mourns the loss of Fritch Volunteer Fire Department's Fire Chief, Zeb Smith, in a Tuesday morning house fire, following a nine-day wildfire battle.
Stinnett Fire Chief and Emergency Management Coordinator Alan Wells mourns the loss of Fritch Volunteer Fire Department's Fire Chief, Zeb Smith, in a Tuesday morning house fire, following a nine-day wildfire battle.
Brandon Strope, public information officer for the City of Borger and Hutchinson County Management, leads a news conference Tuesday afternoon in Borger including Hutchinson County area officials following the sudden death of Fritch Volunteer Fire Chief Zeb Smith earlier that day.
Brandon Strope, public information officer for the City of Borger and Hutchinson County Management, leads a news conference Tuesday afternoon in Borger including Hutchinson County area officials following the sudden death of Fritch Volunteer Fire Chief Zeb Smith earlier that day.
"He was like a son to me," said Fritch Mayor Thomas Ray during a news conference held Tuesday in Borger following the death of Fritch Volunteer Fire Chief Zeb Smith.
"He was like a son to me," said Fritch Mayor Thomas Ray during a news conference held Tuesday in Borger following the death of Fritch Volunteer Fire Chief Zeb Smith.

"I will clarify that this structure fire was not directly related to the ongoing wildfires; it did not begin as a cause of those wildfires. However, I would be remiss if did not say that Chief Smith along with every other firefighter in this county, and the police department, has responded for the last nine days actively fighting these fires," Strope stated during the conference. "I can say with pretty good certainty that it did have a role in today's unfortunate incident."

Fritch Mayor Thomas Ray also spoke about Smith's long-term impact on the community, with Smith having been born in Borger, living in Fritch and beginning his service with the Fritch Volunteer Fire Department in 2017 following a career at the Chevron Phillips Chemical Fire Department. In 2020, Smith was named the Chief in the Fritch Volunteer Fire Department, where he has worked beside many other firefighters to battle the ongoing wildfires. He played a large role in helping to contain the Roughneck wildfire, which broke out in the area nearly a week after the larger, still active wildfires began.

The Roughneck fire was 100% contained, while the Windy Deuce fire reached 81% containment Wednesday and the Smokehouse Creek fire containment was around 44%.

"I want to send our prayers to his family and everyone else involved. ... Smith is survived by family including his 9-year-old and 22-year-old sons. To me, he was just like a son," Mayor Ray said.

The body of Fritch Volunteer Fire Department Chief Zeb Smith is escorted through Amarillo Tuesday, as the convoy makes its way from Borger to Lubbock. Smith suffered a medical emergency and died while fighting a fire Tuesday, officials confirmed.
The body of Fritch Volunteer Fire Department Chief Zeb Smith is escorted through Amarillo Tuesday, as the convoy makes its way from Borger to Lubbock. Smith suffered a medical emergency and died while fighting a fire Tuesday, officials confirmed.
The body of Fritch Volunteer Fire Department Chief Zeb Smith is escorted through Amarillo Tuesday, as the convoy makes its way from Borger to Lubbock. Smith suffered a medical emergency and died while fighting a fire Tuesday, officials confirmed.
The body of Fritch Volunteer Fire Department Chief Zeb Smith is escorted through Amarillo Tuesday, as the convoy makes its way from Borger to Lubbock. Smith suffered a medical emergency and died while fighting a fire Tuesday, officials confirmed.

Funeral services for Chief Smith will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday, March 9 at Grace Church in Borger. Burial will follow at Westlawn Memorial Park.

Chief Smith was escorted by law enforcement and others back to Borger on Wednesday. More information on Smith and funeral arrangements can be found on the official obituary online at https://www.mintonchatwell.com/obituaries/zeb-smith .

Donations to the Fritch Volunteer Fire Department are being accepted via Venmo that can be found on their Facebook page, and a fund for Smith's sons has been set up at the Pantex Federal Credit Union.

This article originally appeared on Amarillo Globe-News: Hutchinson County mourns death of Fritch Volunteer Fire Chief