PLAINVIEW, Texas – The Plainview Fire Department mourns the loss of Capt. James Harrison Hart after Capt. Hart passed away early Wednesday morning following a single vehicle accident.
Captain Hart spent the day before battling flames at Hale County Airport, where residents were evacuated.
“Yesterday we had a series of large fires at airports. So he came in, it was not his usual shift. He came with many other members of our staff and joined the fight to contain this fire yesterday,” said Bobby Gipson, fire chief for the City of Plainview Fire Department.
Police, fire and EMS gathered for a procession in honor of Captain Hart.
“This is a very sad day for our department, we have lost one of our own,” Chief Gipson said, “He was in a traffic accident last night, early this morning, and unfortunately he was mortal and he did not survive.”
Captain Hart served with the department for 16 years, four of them as captain.
“He had a great sense of humor and we will miss that. He was very passionate and he lived and breathed the fire service. He believed in it,” Chief Gipson said. on serving, he loved to serve, and that kind of attitude is exactly what we will miss.”
The community of Plainview stood ready to pay their respects as the procession passed.
“Our kids would have learned a lot from Captain Hart. It’s going to be hard to fill that void for us,” Chief Gipson said, “Something about a department as small as ours, you become very, very attached to every member of this department and that’s what which makes it even more difficult. Understand and apprehend a loss as sudden and tragic as this.
The Plainview Fire Department plans to have full honorary service for Captain Hart.
