Texas fire chief, volunteer firefighter killed in crash

DALHART, Texas (AP) — The chief of a Texas Panhandle volunteer fire department and one of his firefighters were killed when a tractor-trailer rig slammed head-on into their department sport utility vehicle. The Texas Department of Public Safety says the crash happened at about 8:40 p.m. Tuesday on U.S. 54 northeast of Dalhart, about 70 miles northwest of Amarillo. DPS Sgt. Cindy Barkley says the Dalhart Volunteer Fire Department SUV was returning to the station from a call when the tractor-trailer traveling the opposite direction attempted a pass on the two-lane road and slammed into the SUV. Fire Chief Curtis Brown and Firefighter Brendan Torres were killed. Barkley says the truck driver was taken to a hospital with unknown injuries.