TYLER, Texas (KETK) – The Smith County Commissioners voted on Tuesday afternoon to honor the memory of two firefighters who were killed in the line of duty while battling a house fire in 2007.
The court voted to rename a portion of FM 2493, or Old Jacksonville, as the “Captain Kevin Williams and Firefighter Austin Cheek Memorial Highway” in memory of the two firefighter who died after responding to a house fire.
The Noonday Volunteer Fire Department crew, including Williams and Cheek, responded to a house fire located at 20188 FM 2493 on Aug. 3, 2007 at around 1:35 a.m. Once they arrived, firefighters entered into the burning building, and according to the State Fire Marshal’s office, Williams and Cheek were overcome by the conditions and were rescued by rapid Intervention Crews.
Both men were taken to a local hospital where they died due to smoke inhalation and thermal injuries.
During the meeting Councilmember Neal Franklin reflected on the tragedy.
“It was a tough time in the fire service and a tough time for everybody. It brings back some hard moments but we are here to honor those individuals today,” Franklin said.
