Wednesday, June 12, 2013  Fire officials in Prince William County say no one was injured during fire today at a 2-story home in Woodbridge.
The rear of the house in the 16600 block of Galt Court became engulfed in flames when a mayday was called to rescue firefighters.
The fire has been extinguished, and it’s unclear now if the home was occupied at the time the fire broke out, said Prince William fire and rescue spokeswoman Kim Hylander.
Because of the fire, Prince William County Public Schools spokeswoman Irene Cromer said school buses in the area are delayed
“Students on River Oaks Elementary and Potomac Middle school buses 387, 333, 346 will be delayed. Other buses may also be affected by snarled traffic. All students are safe and, if needed, will be taken back to schools. Parents may pick them up there, and staff remain for supervision. Transportation will be provided to all students who cannot be picked up by a parent,” stated Cromer in a press release.
- See more at: http://potomac... [ more ]

Wednesday, June 12, 2013  Six firemen were injured while dousing flames at a sweet mart here, which was completely gutted after a fire broke out this morning, police said.

The blaze came to light when locals saw smoke emanating from Jhalaram Pharsan and sweet shop following which fire tenders from Nashik Municipal Corporation were rushed to the spot on the busy HP College road here.

Although goods in the shop were completely destroyed, there were no human casualties as the shop was closed when the mishap occurred.

The injured personnel -- Hemant Belgaonkar, Bhima Khode, Ashok Sarode, Pradeep Borse, Vijay Nagpure and Rajendra Bokil -- who were in involved in firefighting for almost two hours, have been admitted to the Nashik civil hospital, they said.

According Chief Fire Officer Anil Mahajan, the exact cause of the fire is yet to be ascertained.

He suspected that diesel ovens on the second floor used for preparing snacks may have triggered the fire... [ more ]

Wednesday, June 12, 2013  FIREFIGHTERS diagnosed with cancer have slammed the State Government for failing to introduce legislation to compensate them for their illness.
The United Firefighters Union and Volunteer Fire Brigades Victoria joined with Greens MP Colleen Hartland to call for laws to provide WorkCover for sick firefighters.

Veteran MFB firefighter Tony Martin was recently diagnosed with prostate cancer and a tumour in his pancreas.

Mr Martin's WorkCover claim for the cancer, which he had no doubt was caused by exposure to toxic chemicals and carcinogens over his 20-year career, was rejected.

"I'm very disappointed because we are the people ... that are going in unquestionably ... we will still go in there when people are coming out and to not be supported or protected by the people that are supposed to be looking after us, yeah it's terrible," Mr Martin said.


Under laws passed by t... [ more ]

Tuesday, June 11, 2013  A firefighter was treated for burns after rushing into what authorities called a suspicious fire Tuesday morning at a house in Dunedin.

The firefighter, who was not identified, has been with Dunedin Fire Rescue for five years, a spokesperson said.

Deputies and crews responded to 1965 Sourwood Boulevard around 8:30 a.m. and found the front of the home engulfed in flames. A woman who lives there had managed to get out safely, but firefighters didn't know that, and at least one went inside to help her get out.

"When we get the message that there's someone inside, we gear up and go inside," Dunedin Deputy Chief Trip Barrs said. "The gear is very good, but with some of the temperatures we encounter, the gear's just not able to protect us fully."

The injured firefighter suffered first- and second-degree burns to his face and legs.

The woman who escaped the home was taken to Mease Dunedin Hospital. A neighbor was evaluate... [ more ]

Tuesday, June 11, 2013  A HERO EMT wrestled a cop’s gun away from a crazed man who shot and wounded an officer early Monday — and he may have scored a new job opportunity in the process.

Brendon Hernandez, 25, quickly disarmed the suspect after the man shot Officer Fausto Gomez, 40, in the foot.

The suspect, who was handcuffed behind his back, had somehow managed to grab the gun of Gomez’s partner, Officer John Chiodi, as the cops were leading him into Harlem Hospital.

Gomez was expected to make a full recovery.

“I’m not a hero, not at all. A cop got shot, and it could have been worse — thank God it wasn’t,” Hernandez said hours after his quick thinking prevented a more serious incident.

Hernandez, who aspires to be a police officer, now has a shot at fulfilling his dream.

“He’s demonstrated that he has what it takes to do the job,” NYPD Commissioner Raymond Kelly said.

In 2008, at just age 20, Brendon Hernan... [ more ]

Tuesday, June 11, 2013  uthorities are investigating a three-alarm fire that engulfed a row of stores in Brooklyn early Tuesday, seriously damaging seven businesses and sending three firefighters to the hospital. 

 
Nearly 150 firefighters responded after the blaze erupted shortly before midnight in Borough Park, the FDNY says. Visible flames were knocked down about an hour later, but the department said the blaze continued raging inside the walls for some time. Several ... [ more ]

Tuesday, June 11, 2013  An 18-year-old suffered minor injuries after the fire engine she was driving rolled at 82nd and Hendricks Sunday night.

Candace Weins was driving the fire truck from District 3, following her father, who was driving a fire brush truck at about 9:30 p.m. She began to apply the breaks to slow down when the front wheels began to turn. The fire truck left the roadway and Weins overcorrected, causing the truck to veer into other lane, according to the Reno County Sheriff's Department.

The truck left the road and rolled once, ending up on its tires.

Weins suffered minor injuries and was taken to Hutchinson Regional Medical Center. She was wearing a seat belt. The truck suffered heavy damage, the department reported.

Monday, June 10, 2013  While firefighters were training Friday on WBBX Road, someone stole two pairs each of special firefighters’ pants and boots, said Fire Chief Steve Achilles.

The pants and boots, which have a combined value of $1,400, were recovered from a homeless camp just after midnight Saturday, according to the city’s public police log.

“It’s highly unusual,” said Achilles. “In all my years with the department, no one has ever stolen anything from a fire truck.”

Achilles said firefighters were training on the remote road and were only away from a parked ladder truck for about 15 minutes when the pants and boots were stolen. He said the firefighters’ gear is reflective, has firefighters’ numbers on them, and that the protective pants cost $700 a pair. The boots, he said, are $400 a pair.

“Firefighters pants are pretty obvious,” Achilles said. “You’re not going to wear them in downtown Portsmouth unnoticed.”
more ]

Monday, June 10, 2013  A firefighter was injured after a fire broke out on a Tri-Rail train at a station in Hialeah late Sunday night, officials said.

The fire happened just before midnight at the station at 1200 Southeast 11th Avenue in the main engine compartment of one of the trains, Hialeah Fire Department officials said.

... [ more ]

Monday, June 10, 2013  An errant fire truck struck two parked vehicles and a building early Saturday morning after it drifted downhill while parked outside a fire-alarm call that turned out to be a false alarm.

Deputy Fire Chief Jeff Winward, who was at the scene, said no firefighters were in Ladder 2 when it drifted downhill and struck an SUV and a truck before hitting a garage on McIntyre Street near Middlesex Street about 5:30 a.m. No one was hurt.

"We're still investigating what happened," Winward said.

Police said the vehicles that were struck were a Land Rover SUV and a Buick Skylark.

The impact knocked about two dozen bricks off the facade of an automobile mechanic's garage at McIntyre and Middlesex streets.

Winward said a building inspector examined that damage and determined it was only to the building's brick veneer. There did not appear to be any structural damage to the building.

Ladder 2 was on M... [ more ]

Monday, June 10, 2013  Two firefighters were injured Sunday evening in a four-alarm fire when the roof collapsed on a burning apartment building in southeast Fresno.

Both injuries were described as minor, although one firefighter was taken to Community Regional Medical Center for treatment and released.

The fire was reported just after 5:30 p.m. in brush behind the Cottonwood Apartments at Tulare and Peach avenues, said Fresno Fire Chief Rob Brown. Driven by winds, the fire spread to a fence then jumped to a one-story, six-unit apartment building, raising a third alarm.

The building, in an older complex, had a common attic; when the fire reached the attic, it spread quickly, Brown said.

Three firefighters were inside the structure when the roof collapsed, injuring two of them and prompting a mayday call. That prompted a fourth alarm that drew nearly 80% of the city's firefighting resources to the scene, Brown sa... [ more ]

Sunday, June 9, 2013  A fire truck burst into flames early Sunday inside Plymouth’s Fire Station No. 2, totaling a rig and equipment valued at more than $500,000.

The fire station, which is attached to Plymouth City Hall on Main Street, was so badly damaged it can’t be used. The equipment stored there has been relocated to Plymouth Township’s recently closed Fire Station No. 2, at the corner of Wilcox and Schoolcraft roads.

“The cause and origin aren’t known yet,” said Plymouth City Manager Paul Sincock. “The Michigan State Police are conducting the investigation.”

No one was injured in the blaze. Police officers scrambled to save a second fire truck and ambulance that were parked inside.

The fire department serves the cities of Plymouth and Northville and operates on a paid-on-call basis, meaning firefighters respond when alarms come in, but they don’t staff the firehouses around the clock. Plymouth police officers stationed down ... [ more ]

Sunday, June 9, 2013  Greenville and Darke County medics were dispatched to the scene of a fire on reports of a fire fighter down earlier tonight.

Fire crews were battling a shed fire at 1364 N. Hickory Dr. in Greenville, when medics were dispatched to the scene for a medical emergency, according to a press release from the City of Greenville.

Dispatch records indicate the medics were called to the scene for a cardiac arrest.

The firefighter was removed from the scene by Greenville Township Rescue crews and then taken by CareFlight to Miami Valley Hospital from the helipad at the county sheriff’s office, said fire officials.

The name and the condition of the fire fighter has not been released at this time.

The shed fire at the residence was contained, firefighters said.