Blaze kills Texas firefighters

BRYAN, Texas – Two Texas fire lieutenants have died of burns after battling a lodge hall fire.

A spokeswoman for the central Texas city of Bryan confirmed the deaths of 54-year-old Greg Pickard and 36-year-old Eric Wallace. Mary Lynne Stratta said Pickard died Saturday in a Galveston hospital and Wallace at the scene.

Stratta said the firefighters entered the burning Knights of Columbus hall in Bryan about midnight Friday, but didn’t emerge when ordered to evacuate.

She said two firefighters taken to the Galveston hospital for burns, Ricky Mantey Jr. and Mitchel Moran, were both in serious but stable condition.

Bryan is 90 miles northwest of Houston.

The Texas State Fire Marshal’s office was investigating the cause of the fire.

City officials said nothing was occurring at the hall at the time.