Gray County Couple + Father-to-Be Reportedly Die in Texas Wildfire
Two raging wildfires in the Texas Panhandle have claimed four lives to date, including a young Gray County couple.
ABC 7 Amarillo reports that a couple, Sydney Nicole Wallace and Cody Crockett of Gray County, along with Sloan Everett, died while trying to save livestock at a ranch. The deaths were confirmed by Gray County Justice of the Peace Joe Martinez.
In Lipscomb County, the local Sheriff's Office confirmed another body was discovered. Authorities have yet to formally identify the body. However, according to ABC 7 Amarillo, a GoFundMe page set up by a woman named Sierra Koch claims the person who died is her husband, 25-year-old Cade Koch, who recently learned he would be a father.
"He was 25 years old and a soon to be Daddy. Just last week he found out her was going to be a Daddy," wrote Sierra on the GoFundMe page.
Mrs. Koch says that the money raised will go toward Cade's funeral expenses, while any money raised beyond the $7,000 goal will be put into a savings account for the couple's yet-to-be-born baby. As of the publication of this story, the account had raised more than $9,700.
The Texas A&M Forest Service has warned residents in the Texas Panhandle, Oklahoma and neighboring states of an elevated or critical fire weather warning.
The smoke from the Panhandle wildfires could be smelled in Lubbock, Midland and other West Texas cities early Tuesday morning.
As of 5:30 p.m. Tuesday evening, the Lefors East Fire, in Gray County, has burned an estimated at 92,571 acres, with firefighters obtaining 25 percent containment. The Perryton Fire in Lipscomb and Ochiltree counties continues to grow. It is now at 315,000 acres in size with 50 percent containment.
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