United States (Texas) - It is with a heavy heart that the Houston Fire Department has to report the loss of two of its own. This morning, April 12, 2009, the Houston Fire Department was dispatched to a house fire just after midnight in the 7800 block of Oak Vista in southeast Houston. Firefighters quickly called for defensive attack on the fire and sadly Captain James Harlow and Probationary Firefighter Damien Hobbs of Station 26 succumbed to the fire.

Captain James Harlow, 50, was hired by the HFD in August 1979 and has been a Captain at Fire Station 26 since 2004.

Probationary Firefighter Damien Hobbs, 29, graduated from the HFD Val Jahnke Training Facility on March 3, 2009, with Class 2008C, and began his first assignment at Fire Station 26 on March 7.

The cause of the fire is currently under investigation.

Written and photos by Houston Fire Department