Watch video of Sgt. LaCore’s welcome home

Click here for more news from STATter 911

On October 29th Firefighter Jay Hyde, a wagon driver for DC Fire & EMS Department’s Engine 6, helped carry a badly burned Michael LaCore to an ambulance. Wednesday evening, Firefighter Hyde thought he was going to be chauffeuring LaCore home after more than six weeks in the Washington Hospital Center Burn Unit. But LaCore, who was a long time driver of Engine 6 before being promoted to sergeant, had a surprise for Hyde and everyone else — he wanted to drive. Still recovering from 2nd and 3rd degree burns over more than half his body, Sgt. Michael got behind the wheel of the fire engine and drove himself home.

That was not the only surprise of the evening. Michael LaCore didn’t tell his wife and two young sons he was coming home. Naomi LaCore was thrilled with the early Christmas present and so were the many members of the department on hand for the welcome home celebration.

“Thanks to everybody who prayed for me,” Michael LaCore said in front of his District of Columbia home. “The prayers didn’t go to waste. I’m still here. Hopefully I’ll make it back, make it back to full duty.”

Sgt. LaCore’s mother Madeline, a long-time producer at Channel 9 in Washington, helped ask the questions and got her son to pose for a picture with Engine 6.

Naomi LaCore, talking about the firefighters at her door step, said, “They have been giving us so much support, it’s just amazing. Whatever we need, they were there for us and it means a lot.”

Michael LaCore was the most seriously injured of four firefighters trapped in a burning row house on October 29th. The crew from Engine 4 was extinguishing fire on the second floor of the home in the 600 block of 4th Street, NE, when fire from the first floor suddenly flared up, trapping them in the middle of fire in both the front and rear of the home.

“We knew the extent of how bad things were from the get-go,” said Firefighter Hyde. “It’s real hard. It took me a while before I could go see him because I knew he was burned pretty bad.”

Chief Dennis Rubin was among those who greeted Sgt. LaCore. “This is a major event for the fire department,” Rubin said. “We’re so thankful and appreciative that he’s here, back with his family where he belongs”.

Sgt. LaCore has had multiple surgeries and expects there will be more as he continues his treatment at the hospital. Still his fellow firefighters say they believe Michael LaCore when says he hopes to be back on the job.

(Updated at 7:15 PM)

Video from the STATter 911 Archives: This fire was on February 18, 1979 in Old Town Alexandria, VA. A Channel 9 photographer was on the scene in the early stages of this fire. We have about 10 minutes of raw video in two parts: Part 1; Part 2. The Washington Post reports the 2-alarm fire caused $300,000 damage to six homes and burned for 5 hours. The next day the region was hit with a major snow storm.

DC Sgt. Michael LaCore drives Engine 6 home

Sgt. Michael LaCore was released from the Burn Unit of the Washington Hospital Center early this evening. Sgt. LaCore went home in style aboard Engine 6. He didn’t just ride the engine, he drove it from the hospital to his home. LaCore is a former wagon drive at Engine 6.

LaCore and three other firefighters were burned during a fire on October 29th. The crew, assigned to Engine 4, was trapped on the second floor of the row house on 4th Street, NE. Michael LaCore spent more than 6 weeks in the hospital. 9 NEWS NOW will have a complete report at 11:00 PM. We will have video later on STATter 911.

New information from Baltimore TV station questions experience of driver of ladder truck.

Listen to the complete audio recording released by Baltimore City FD (courtesy of WJZ-TV)

Watch WJZ-TV’s Wednesday evening report

This evening, WJZ-TV’s Alex DeMetrick is bringing up questions about the experience of the driver of Truck 27. This report also cites numerous sources saying the ladder truck had the red light as it went through the intersection of Park Heights Avenue and Clark’s Lane. DeMetrick first brought up the red light issue on Tuesday and reported that at least some of the tragic incident was caught by the police surveillance camera at the intersection.

The results of the police investigation are expected on Thursday. Emergency radio traffic was released Tuesday.

WBAL-TV also has the radio transmissions and reported the following this morning:

According to WBAL TV 11 News sources, the investigation is focusing on several factors, including whether the driver of the fire truck properly went through a red light and possible alcohol consumption on the part of the driver of the SUV.

You can watch WBAL-TV’s story, here.

You can watch WJZ-TV’s Tuesday report, here.

Below is the Wednesday story from WJZ.com:

The fire truck that struck an SUV early Sunday morning may not have stopped for a red light. Now, there are also questions about the experience of the firefighter behind the wheel.

The names of those aboard the truck are still being withheld, along with their training records.

FFs burned in Michigan

Four firefighters in Flint were burned Tuesday evening. They were inside a home when a hose line burned through and fire flashed over them. The battalion chief said Lt. Rodney Paterson was engulfed in flames. He is reported to be in serious condition with second degree burns over 15 percent of his body. Click here and here to read more.

NC close call

A firefighter made a hasty exit from the second floor of a home in Wilmington, NC on Monday. FireGeezer has the story and the links.

Finger pointing over missing fire escape

In Lorain, Ohio a fire trapped some residents on the roof of a 104-year-old apartment building. A fire escape that might have been used for egress had been removed. Now they are trying to figure exactly how that happened. Read the details.

Jury awards $200,000 to female fire captain claiming discrimination

Santa Clara, California’s first female fire captain claimed that a boss showed naked pictures of himself to female employees and that a battalion chief singled out women for discipline. Here are excerpts from the San Jose Mercury News:

In the lawsuit, Vandenberg said department heads did nothing to help her when she told them that Battalion Chief Brad Darbro wrote her up for problems that occurred on the watch of male captains and for stopping for coffee, a common practice, while on duty.

The jury of 10 men and two women disagreed and held the department liable for illegal retaliation for reporting gender discrimination and failing to prevent the retaliation. They ordered the department to pay Vandenberg more than $200,000 in damages.

Brockton, MA fire

Fire in a vacant home Tuesday afternoon.

LA restaurant fire

Not much information other than reporting fire in the walls of a restaurant.

PA fire

From October 28th, the fire in Millcreek Township. But there is much better video of the Fuhrmans Cider Mill fire from Steve Marshall, here. Read about the fire, here.

(Updated at 4:12 PM)

More than 200,000 are without power in Tulsa, OK following an ice storm on Sunday. More than half of the northeastern Oklahoma region is in the dark. Watch video on KOTV-TV.

Latest from Baltimore

This is The Baltimore Sun’s photo of the SUV that collided with Truck 27

Sunday’s wreck on Park Heights Avenue is believed to be the worst collision between a fire truck and a civilian vehicle in Baltimore in more than 50 years. The Baltimore Sun reports it will take at least 3 days before its crash investigation is completed. Among other things, it is expected to determine which vehicle had the red light. Here is the latest from The Sun.

Triple fatal puts fire deaths at the highest in 30 years in Montgomery County, MD

Monday’s fire that killed three people in a home on Muncaster Road in Derwood, puts the number of residential fire deaths in the county at 13, the highest since 1975. The home was 75 percent involved when the first fire crews arrived.

Watch 9NEWS NOW’s story with Audrey Barnes
Listen to 911 calls
Watch neighbor’s video of fire (short clip)

Propane explosions kills one, critically burns others and damages buildings, including the firehouse

Damage to the firehouse in Fries, VA is minor compared to the laundromat which took the brunt of the blast. Image from WDBJ-TV.

Witnesses saw a fireball in front of the firehouse in Fries, Virginia Monday evening. It occurred when a woman struggling with a standard transmission and drifted into a propane tank outside a laundromat. The propane filled up the building and ignited. A 78-year-old woman died from her injuries. Read and watch the story, here.

San Diego chief blasts county

Chief Tracy Jarman told a congressional hearing on Monday that her department may have to “reconsider the commitment of our firefighting resources to other areas of San Diego County.”

Here are excerpts from the North County Times article:

“You need to be aware that historically, the County of San Diego has and still lacks the firefighting resources necessary to protect its residents and visitors during significant firestorms,” Jarman said.

Roberts and Supervisor Bill Horn also recently proposed an idea to buy as many as 50 fire engines and fire trucks to place around San Diego County for emergencies. The supervisors are expected to ask their staff at their meeting today to research ways to fund the proposal.

FF who fell from tower ladder moved from hospital

His spill of three stories was captured on video. Now, three weeks after surviving the fall, Brian Smith was moved from his hospital room Monday to a rehab facility. Read the details, here.

Well, now we know the button works

It was family day at Agusta Aerospace in Northeast Philadelphia on Saturday. The button in the helicopter hangar said “don’t hit button unless in an emergency”. Apparently a child must have thought it was an emergency. Soon fire retardant foam began filling the hangar. Read the story, here.

Firefighters & MRSA

As we are hearing more about MRSA and its impact on first responders, we have been asked to pass along this request to participate in a survey. It is titled “Fire Department Study on MRSA” and is an advanced research project by Ed Nied through Arizona State University. Click here to take the survey.

All it says with this video is “one wild truck ride and one angry chief”

Not a lot of info about when or where this was, other than the “Pennbrooks Apartments”. Other videos from this person are from the North Penn Fire Company, Montgomery County, PA Station 62. It sure is interesting, though.

An ambulance that really runs on oil and gas

From Sublette County, Wyoming, four oil and gas companies contributed $900,000 to provide an ambulance and station much closer to the gas and oil fields in the southwestern part of the state. That’s an AP picture above. Click here to read the AP story.

Union hall burns

This is from last Thursday in Mt. Vernon
, Washington. The two-alarm fire destroyed the United Food and Commercial Workers union hall.

Running with Christmas lights and siren

From Harris County, Texas.

Most people just use the lift

I believe this is Austria. A fire truck climbing a ski slope.

(Updated at 12:33 PM)

Old video of the day: This appears to be from New Jersey. A fire at Krieger’s Bar and Bowling Alley from January, 1964. It is a great look at early 1960s firefighting. This is on YouTube from the same source as the nitrate film fire, below.

The latest from Baltimore

Sunday’s wreck on Park Heights Avenue is believed to be the worst collision between a fire truck and a civilian vehicle in Baltimore in more than 50 years. The Baltimore Sun says it could take 3 days for the police to wrap up its investigation. Among other things, it is expected they will determine which vehicle had the red light. Read the latest from The Sun.

3 dead in Montgomery County, MD house fire

The flames broke out in the home in the 17,800 block of Muncaster Road in the Derwood section of Montgomery County around 4:00 this morning. Among the dead are a 6-year-old boy, an elderly woman, and the woman’s daughter. A 13-year-old boy, who apparently was asleep in the basement, is hospitalized. Investigators say he tried unsuccessfully to get the others out and then ran next door to call 911. More, later.

Police checking if crime camera caught fire truck wreck that is considered the worst in recent memory

This is one in a series of pictures from FirePix1075 that you can see here.

Crash investigators from the Baltimore City Police Department are hoping a surveillance camera near the scene of the deadly collision between a ladder truck and SUV will provide more information about how it occurred. The wreck happened just after 3:00 Sunday morning at Park Heights Avenue and Clarks Lane.

WMAR-TV appears to be the only news organization with pictures of the SUV

A 49-year-old woman, her 35-year-old husband and a 24-year-old man died in the Nissan Murano that collided with Truck 27. There was a lengthy extrication that involved mutual aid from Baltimore County to get the closest heavy duty rescue squad from Pikesville, about 2 miles away.

Truck 27 was on its way to a report of an apartment fire a few blocks further north on Park Heights. The 4 firefighters had non-life threatening injuries. Police have interviewed the crew from Engine 29 which was following Truck 27 northbound on Park Heights. It is unclear who else may have witnessed the collision. Police have not said which vehicle had the red signal at the intersection.

Here are excerpts from this morning’s Baltimore Sun:

The Baltimore Police Department, which is conducting the primary accident inquiry, is investigating whether either vehicle drove through a red light at the intersection.

“Compared to everything that’s happened in the last year or so, this is clearly the worst,” Fugate, the fire union chief, said yesterday. “This is it. This is bottom.”

We first told you Sunday morning about the deadly fire truck wreck. You can see the early coverage, which includes details on the extrication.

WJZ-TV’s noon report

Spectacular 70-year-old NJ fire that killed a young boy and destroyed historic films

Anyone who remembers a pair of major fires at the Washington National Records Center in Suitland in the 70s can relate to the above film. It is one of the most devastating fires ever involving unstable nitro-cellulose film. It occurred on July 9, 1937 in Little Ferry, NJ. A 13-year-old boy trying to shield his mother from one of the blasts was killed.

This was a storage facility for the Fox Film Corporation. Reports had flames shooting 100 feet into the air and abo
ut the same distance horizontally (I have a photo stored away of a similar horizontal flame coming from one of the bunkers during the 1978 fire in Suitland). Safety film wasn’t introduced for another 12 years.

You can read more about this fire and nitrate film in a report called Nitrate Won’t Wait: A History of Film Preservation in the United States. It discusses the August 29, 1977 fire at Suitland that destroyed one-million-feet of March of Time newsreel footage, and the larger December 7, 1978 fire that burned 12,600,000-feet of film and injured a number of firefighters.

Another spectacular fire, but from two days ago

New Years fireworks displays in Australia are jeopardized by the explosion and fire at a factory Saturday night. Twenty buildings at the Howard and Sons fireworks manufactoring facility were destroyed, but no one was injured. Details from the AP.

Service station fire

From New Providence, NJ at 7:30 Sunday morning. Click here to read about the fire.

Art gallery arson

In Dunedin, Florida, investigators say this 3:00 AM fire was intentionally set. It destroyed hundreds of painting and other art work. Click here to read the story.

House fire in Houston

From Houston’s Engine 19 last Monday.

Around the web

FireGeezer has been telling the story of the strange doings with a self proclaimed fire department in Seligman, AZ. Now that the basic story is out there, the Daily Donna is becoming the Weekly Donna. You couldn’t make this stuff up. If you haven’t done so, make sure you read this bit of investigative journalism.

WithTheCommand.com’s lead story is a deadly LA apartment fire.

Firefighter Nation has a little bit of everything including a great old Philly picture.

There is life after the fire department

A look at what an old snorkel from PA is doing in retirement.

(Updated Sunday at 10:02 PM)

3 dead after ladder truck and SUV collide

These pictures are from FirePix1075. See the entire series of photos from FirePix1075, here.

Overnight, Baltimore City Fire Department’s Truck 27 and an SUV collided at Park Heights Avenue and Clarks Lane. Truck 27 was responding to a reported apartment fire near Park Heights and Shelburne Road (turned out to be food on the stove) just after 3:00 AM.

According to a source on the scene, the SUV ended up wrapped around a pole trapping all three people inside. The truck ran down an embankment and into a chain link fence. Four firefighters were hurt, but did not have life-threatening injuries.

The closest rescue squad is just across the line in Baltimore County. Pikesville’s Squad 322 began the extrication. It was a lengthy extrication. All 3 of the people in the SUV were pronounced dead at the hospital.

The sources say it appears the Nissan Murano was eastbound on Clarks Lane and Truck 27 was northbound on Park Heights. The SUV was hit on the passenger side. The ladder truck apparently continued a few hundred feet before going off the road.

We are told that initially appeared that two people were trapped, but the third was found in the rear of the vehicle as the squad was able to make access. We are told the passenger side of the vehicle had been crushed into the center console.

Story from WBAL-TV

The wreck comes at the time of year when hundreds of people flock to Truck 27′s quarters with Engine 45 on Glen Avenue to see its elaborate train garden. It is the first firehouse I remember being in (my grandparents lived up the street on Glen Avenue). The train garden tradition started the year after I was born and I have taken my own son (a young railfan) to see the wonderful display. Our thoughts are with everyone involved in this tragic situation.

Battalion chief fights email punishment

The emails between a battalion chief and a captain in Tucson are causing problems. It appears to be a complicated situation that also involves the sexual orientation of a firefighter. Read it for yourself.

Two dead in Milwaukee fire

An apartment fire Saturday afternoon has killed two people. Firefighters rescued others. Watch the story, here. Read more about the 3-alarm fire, here.

Foam issue in UK

An attempt to apply foam at a house fire in East Sussex failed, and apparently this isn’t the first issue with what has been called a “revolutionary firefighting medium”. Read more, here.

New volunteer department

At a time when many volunteer departments are shrinking, a new one has sprouted. Ponzer Fire & Rescue in Hyde County, NC, opened its doors on Friday. Read the story.

911 wipe out

It appears that everyone got along just fine without 911 after a major storm, last week, wiped out emergency communications in Curry County, Oregon. While it is not something they want to try on a regular basis, people apparently stayed home and out of trouble. Here’s the story.

A lot of water flowing in Watertown

A major fire early this morning in Watertown, NY.

And since we are in the area, the video above is from a September 22nd apartment fire in Watertown.

One dead in Maine

A body was found inside this home in Fairfield, Maine. The fire was well under way and the roof had collapsed by the time firefighters arrived late Friday afternoon. Read the story.

4-alarms in Somerville, MA

Cops are being credited with rescuing a mother and her adult son from the three story duplex on Harvard Place, late Thursday night. The still picture and more details from the Boston Herald.

RI house fire

In Cranston, one firefighter was injured in a house fire early Thursday morning.

Boat burns in Galveston Bay

Coast Guard boats and a helicopter handled this one on Friday morning. Read more about it, here.

He finds his job quite draining

It is a slow day at STATter 911. For some this video might seem like paint drying. But it is a necessary task in the frozen north. The Moorhead Fire Department in Minnesota shows us how to do a little cold weather prep.

The famous picture above was taken 61 years ago this morning. It shows Daisy McCumber jumping from the burning Winecoff Hotel in Atlanta. The person who took this photo was the first amateur to win the Pulitzer Prize. Arnold Hardy died Wednesday at age 85.

The 3:00 AM fire killed 119 people in a building that had been billed as “absolutely fireproof”. Daisy McCumber survived.

Then 24-years-old, Arnold Hardy was a Georgia Tech graduate student. Here is some of what the Atlanta Journal-Constitution wrote in its obituary of Hardy:

On that fateful Saturday, he returned to his Midtown rooming house about 3 a.m. after a date. He heard sirens screaming, called the fire department to get the location, grabbed his camera and headed to the Peachtree Street hotel where 280 guests were registered.

Mr. Hardy continued his freelance photography until an industrial fire led him to retire his press card. “I went out there and hung around a while; there wasn’t anything worth shooting,” he said. “But the next day my picture appeared in the paper with some caption about the Winecoff photographer looking for another prize.” Mr. Hardy did not want people to think of him as some kind of ambulance-chaser.

Hardy turned down a job with the AP. His picture taking from then on concentrated on family and personal photos. Hardy’s funeral was held today, on the anniversary of the deadliest hotel fire in U.S. history.

The fifteen story Winecoff was built in 1913, then Atlanta’s tallest hotel. Here are some excerpts from the site WinecoffHotelFire.com about the design of the hotel and the firefighting efforts:

One of the most critical factors contributing to this staggering loss of life was the design of the building itself. Based on “European” design, the hotel was a perfect square with the stairwell and elevator shafts running straight through the middle. Thin wooden doors leading to the stairwells had been left open on several floors as well as many transoms above guest rooms allowing smoke and flames to be pulled upward like a giant chimney. When the only means of egress became impassable, guests were forced to the windows of their rooms, where they were met with precious few choices. Many fashioned sheet ropes, while others doused their rooms and themselves with toilet and bath water. Others simply awaited their fates in hopeless silence.

Rescue efforts were further hindered by the geographic location of the building. The Mortgage Guarantee Building sat opposite the hotel with only about six feet of alley between them. This prevented any kind of rescue from the firetrucks.

More links:

December 7, 2000, Firehouse.com article on the cause of the fire

December 7, 2006, AP article on the 60th anniversary

Winecoff.org

(Updated at 10:19 AM)

At least 5 buildings damaged or destroyed in Barrie, Ontario. The first report, before midnight, was an explosion in the basement of a restaurant. The picture above shows a collapse as the fire spread to adjacent structures. Click the image above from CTV.ca to see the video. Details from TheStar.com.

Two volunteers charged with 9 fires

Click above to read the official release from Pennsylvania State Police

WJET-TV, Action News 24 in Erie, PA broke the story at 5:00 PM on Wednesday. Two Saegertown VFD members are charged with setting vacant homes on fire. Here are excerpts from the TV station’s latest story:

According to Pennsylvania State Police – Saegertown volunteer firefighters Darren Amy and Joseph Dille…both 19 years old… are now charged with nine first-degree felony counts and 39 second-degree felony counts in connection with nine suspicious vacant houses fires in Crawford County.

According to Pennsylvania State Police the pair are tied to fires in the Saegertown area that date back to August. The most recent fire occurred Thursday morning on Mill Street in Saegertown.

Police say the pair allegedly set the fires and then responded to the incidents with Saegertown Volunteer Fire Department, on Thursday night the department didn’t want to comment…but says statements are coming.

Media plan for SC OSHA report uncovered by Charleston paper

Click above to read the email uncovered by The Post & Courier

Grant Mishoe at SConFire.com alerts us to The Post & Courier story this morning concerning the email above. It is South Carolina’s efforts to downplay the report by SC OSHA into the June 18th Sofa Super Store fire that killed 9 Charleston firefighters. Grant has all the links and along with one of his usual stellar “Hot Shot” pictures.

FireGeezer connects the dots between two of his stories

For some it may have been obvious. I personally needed FireGeezer to make the connection. I hope you have been following Bill Schumm’s unusual series of reports, now just simply called the “Daily Donna”. This morning, the Geeze finds some common ground between that story from Seligman, AZ and the one we both ran yesterday from Flint Township, MI.

Justice Department investigates Portsmouth

The hiring practices of the fire and police departments in Portsmouth, VA are under scrutiny. The story is from today’s Virginian-Pilot:

The U.S. Department of Justice is investigating whether the city’s police and fire departments discriminate against black employees in this predominantly minority city, making Portsmouth the third locality in South Hampton Roads to become the subject of a civil-rights inquiry.

Both departments have tried over the years to increase the number of black and minority hires and those selected for promotions, a former union president and city leaders said Thursday.

I’m just an EMS system that can’t say no

Some thinks it’s time for Cleveland to change its policy of hauling anyone who calls 911. A month ago, WJW-TV reporter Tom Merriman looked closely at the non-emergency type calls Cleveland’s EMS system is handling. Using records, recordings of 911 calls, spending time in an emergency department, riding with medics and confronting some of those who called for help, the TV station painted a very interesting picture of the state of EMS. In a follow-up story that ran last week, Merriman showed the impact on the hospital system.

Now there is a call for EMS to change its policy and refuse, with physician consultation, some transports. The EMS commissioner doesn’t seem to like this idea. Watch the stories and see what you think. If you haven’t seen these stories, they are well worth watching. A look at issues that extend far beyond Cleveland.

Part 1 Part 2

Lt. works at house where firefighter saved him 44 years ago

It was November, 1963 when a 6-year-old boy ran back into his burning apartment to retrieve a slipper. Rick Vega and his uncle only made it out alive thanks to a firefighter from Chicago’s Truck 44. Now Vega is a lieutenant with that very same fire company. Read and watch the story, here.

The legend of Sleepy Hollow

T
his Sleepy Hollow tale is making the papers in Westchester County, New York. One Sleepy Hollow firefighter, whose brother is the deputy chief and whose father is a local cop, is charged with repeatedly shoving another firefighter until he fell to the ground injuring his knee. It happened on a fireground in Tarrytown. Read the story.

Texas warehouse burns

The fire loss is estimated between 12 and 15 million dollars from this fire in a 300,000-square-foot warehouse in Belton, Texas on Wednesday. Click here to read more.

Dog’s best friend

In this case it would be a firefighter. A dog took a plunge into the icy Old Erie Canal in Dewitt, NY yesterday and so did a firefighter.

Jersey City 4th alarm

From November 29th. Click the image to see Part 1. Four other parts can be found here.

NJ 6th alarm from the same day

From the same videographer as the Jersey City fire, this is allhandsgoingtowork’s look at the commercial fire in Fort Lee on November 29th. Click here to see more parts.

(Updated at 7:39 PM)

Picture of the day: House fire on Windbrook Drive in Prince George’s County late Tuesday night. An electrical malfunction in the basement started the fire. One firefighter suffered an ankle injury. The picture is from Chad Lallier, Volunteer Chief, Volunteer Fire Department of Brandywine, Inc.

Breaking news: 2 volunteers in PA arrested for arson

From WJET-TV, Action News 24 in Erie, PA comes word this evening of the arrest of two volunteer firefighters. They are charged with setting a series of 9 fires. Here is what the station is reporting on its website YourErie.com:

Sources tell Action News 24 that two volunteer firefighters, 19-year-old Darren Amy and 19-year-old Joseph Dille have been arrested. Both are accused of deliberately setting nine unoccupied houses in Saegertown on fire. Amy and Dille are charged with nine first degree felony counts and 39 second-degree felony counts. They were each jailed on $500,000 bond.

School bus into store front

A Camden County, NJ bus slid across a parking lot this morning and crashed into the front of an old Bradlees store in Stratford Township. About 30 people on the bus, but no reports of serious injuries. Image above from WPVI-TV.

Parking garage collapse in FL

In Jacksonville this morning, a parking garage under construction collapsed. One worker is missing, at least 13 others have been injured. Details and video from WTLV-TV.

One child dead, another critical after Baltimore fire

In Roland Park this morning a house fire has left an 11-year-old girl dead, her brother and father in critical condition. The home used to be a group home for mentally challenged children and had a sprinkler system. A battalion told reporters the system was not operational.

The photo above is from The Baltimore Sun. See the paper’s coverage, here. The father is the deputy copy desk chief for The Sun. Watch WJZ-TV story from the scene.

Apology or not?

The firefighters union in Baltimore says a visit to a firehouse by the head of the local chapter of the NAACP was not an apology. It’s clear the noose and note incident is not over with an admission that it was the work of the person who claims he found the items on the floor of the East 25th Street station.

Former firefighter on missing helicopter

There has been a search since Monday for a medical helicopter headed with a patient to an anchorage hospital. A tv station is reporting that the flight nurse on the chopper is a former Dover, New Hampshire firefighter. Also on-board, the pilot and a paramedic.

Take a tour of Atlanta’s Fire Station 12

A firefighters home video of plumbing and other problems at an Atlanta firehouse is making news. The mayor and fire chief refused to look at the tape before it aired. You can see what they didn’t see, in this WGCL-TV report.

Random thoughts?

Oakland, CA officials said they randomly picked people after so many showed up to submit firefighter applications. But a TV station now says it may not have been so random. Some nepotism concerns. The fire chief, whose son was among those selected, denies the charge. Read the story, here. Watch the story, here.

Cardiac arrest Friday, home today

Roanoke, VA firefighter Scott Hetherington is now at home recovering after collapsing inside a house fire on Friday. Details at VAFireNews.com.

Fire College scandal sends one to prison

The former deputy director of the Alabama Fire College spent more than a $500,000 of college money on HDTVs and other home improvements. Now he will spend the next 2 and a-half years in a federal prison. Read the story.

Fire alerting system apparently causes indigestion

Apparently fire horns are becoming inconvenient for some people who live in Darien, CT. Here’s a quote from one letter: “People who are trying to enjoy a quiet meal, period of rest or conduct business downtown find the horn to be disruptive and unwelcome”. Click here to read more.

Update on summer fire that injured 11 firefighters

From the Cincinnati area an update on firefighters who were burned when the roof collapsed in an historic home in July. Chris Higgins, of the Madeira-Indian Hill Fire Department, returned to duty this week. All firefighters who were injured are now back to work. Click here to read an update and see the raw vi
deo of the fire.

The tale of a 34-year-old ladder truck

An interesting story from Flint Township, Michigan about an old truck that will still be used after $5,000 in repairs. The former chief said it couldn’t be repaired. That chief lost his job over the purchase of some fans. Click here to read the story.

Bank under construction burns

In Florence, KY, a propane fueled heater for construction workers apparently sparked this fire on Tuesday. Click here for details.

NY house fire

Fire Tuesday in Oceanside, NY.

House fire in NJ

Seaside Heights on Sunday.

Fire in Sacramento

Early morning fire destroys a duplex on Saturday.

Video of First Interstate Bank fire

A look back to May 4, 1988 at an infamous hi-rise fire in Los Angeles. Click the image above to see the video. Read about the fire. Read about air operations.

The image above and the story below are from WOWT-TV in Omaha. Watch the station’s live coverage. Watch KMTV-TV live coverage.

Police say at least nine people were shot to death and at least five others were injured in a shooting at Westroads Mall this afternoon. The shooter apparently shot himself to death.

That man’s vehicle was found in the mall parking lot.

(Updated at 10:15 AM)

West Coast video of the day: Actually it is from late Monday night. LA County firefighters have fire through the roof of a furniture store. Details, here.

East Coast video of the day: A tanker fire in Everett, MA at 1:00 this morning spread to nearby homes. Click the image above to see raw video from WBZ-TV. WCVB-TV raw video can be found here.

Busy afternoon in Montgomery County, MD

Above, the first of two, 2-alarm fires in Montgomery County on Tuesday afternoon. This was in the 3800 block of Bel Pre Rd. in Aspen Hill. Fire started in a second floor apartment. Fire investigators believe there was a delay in reporting the fire.

At least five people needed help from firefighters in getting out of apartments above and below the fire. STATter 911 counted 11 ground ladders on side A and at least 4 more on side C. Add to this 5 aerial ladders or tower ladders in use on sides A,C and D. You can see my story, here.

Click here to watch raw video of the Bel Pre Rd. fire by Carlos Alfaro Montgomery County FRS

As crews were finishing up at the apartment fire, a lot more ladders were raised at this 2-alarm house fire, 6 few miles away, on South Belgrade Rd. in the Kemp Mill area of Montgomery County. More details on this fire from wusa9.com.

Click here to watch raw video of the South Belgrade Rd. fire by Carlos Alfaro Montgomery County FRS

Junk yard fire and Accokeek arsonist keep PGFD busy


2001 Kenilworth Avenue is a well known address in Prince George’s County. Smith’s Recyclers has been the scene of many multi-alarm fires over the last few decades. The latest was Tuesday evening at 6:15 PM. Two alarms were needed to handle the fire just across the Prince George’s-DC line at Eastern Avenue. The image above is from PGFD Chief Spokesman Mark Brady who describes the fire in a press release: “… a pile of debris about 60 feet high and 60 feet long with a deep-seated fire near the bottom of the pile. The pile included materials destined for metal recycling and included discarded autos, water heaters, stoves, etc. and combustible materials.”

In the very early hours of Tuesday morning, firefighters in Southern Prince George’s County responded to house fire at 16,930 Livingston Rd. in Accokeek. There, they found fire in a house under renovation. While working on that fire, crews discovered a smaller fire next door at a house under construction. This has been prime territory for an arsonist, or arsonists, since March of 2004. Tuesday’s blazes make the 14th and 15th fires being looked at by investigators. Click here to watch the story from reporter Gary Reals.

More pictures from Fairfax warehouse fire

The pictures keep coming in from Sunday’s 3-alarm warehouse fire in Springfield, VA. You can find even more, here.

Firehouse fire in NJ

The Washington Valley firehouse in Warren Township, NJ was damaged by fire Tuesday morning. The chief got to the scene first and was able to get the tower ladder out even though he was unable to raise the bay door. More details, here and here. By the way, the articles report the firehouse had no smoke alarms.

The call for consolidation in San Diego County

It is the largest county in California without a unified fire department. The wildland fires in 2003 and this year have increased the calls to change that situation. The New York Times has the story.

Fire chief chases burglar out window

Harrisburg, PA’s fire chief gets a lunch break. It was during his Tuesday lunch at home that Chief Don Konkle found he wasn’t alone. A burglar with an 8-inch hunting knife was in the house. The man dumped the weapon when he saw the chief and jumped through a closed second-floor window. Click here for the story.

Fire chief sues town

The chief spoke up. The chief was punished. Now the chief is suing. In Randolph, MA, Chief Charles Foley is claiming his rights were violated when he was suspended for three weeks after talking about department staffing following a fire that killed two boys. Click here to read the article.

Inmates restore fire truck

At the Chuckawalla Valley State Prison in California, inmates made a project of a 1923 REO Speed Wagon fire truck. See the results, here.

NJ 5th alarm

This is raw footage from a fire on November 1st in Union.

In Montgomery County, Maryland this afternoon a number of residents were brought to safety by firefighters as fire in a second floor apartment spread to the top floor and roof. Two alarms were called to handle the fire in the 3800 block of Bel Pre Road.

No serious injuries reported. A mother and her 3-week old daughter were taken to the hospital for check-up. We’ll have the story at 5:00 PM on 9NEWS NOW. And video here, later.

By the way, in the picture above you can see 10 of the 11 ground ladders thrown on side A. There were another 4 or 5 on side C, in addition to 5 aerial ladders or tower ladders. So, FireGeezer, apparently somebody still knows how to raise a ladder or two.

(Updated at 12:25 PM)

Remembering Wes: Above, another photo from the collection of Wes Gerald. This deadly fire was at the Beachcomber motel in Ocean City. It happened during the Maryland State Firemen’s Association Convention in June of 1988. Last June, STATter 911 ran video of the fire (video that Wes helped us obtain when we arrived in OC to cover the story) and some other memories from the convention. Click here to see more.

The spy who came in from the firehouse?

An interesting editorial in the Contra Costa Times about the pilot program in New York to train firefighters to be the eyes and ears of law enforcement in gathering information about potential terrorist activity. The paper believes this could destroy the public image of firefighters and EMS workers. Here are some excerpts:

It would give pause to many Americans who see firefighters and emergency medical technicians as symbols of civic responsiveness and helpfulness.

Under current practice, if such workers encounter illegal activities during the normal fulfillment of their duties, they are obliged to report it. That is far enough. They shouldn’t be cast, trained or perceived as spies.

Read the whole editorial, here.

Flooding in Washington

Western Washington is dealing with December flooding. People dead, others rescued, landslides, highways closed.

Also in Washington, a 3-alarm happy meal

In the middle of the afternoon on Monday, a McDonald’s in Renton, Washington burned down. The image above from KOMO-TV. Helicopter video.

A series of short, low-quality videos of the fire can be found here.

FF with note and noose already on the way out

The Baltimore Sun reports that Donald Maynard is being fired for failing to meet a November 30th deadline to complete EMT-I. This appears to have more than just a casual connection to the motive for the threatening note and noose that Baltimore Fire Department officials say Maynard claims he found on November 21. The officials say Maynard now admits to being the person who brought the items into the E. 25th Street firehouse. The head of the firefighters union is not pleased there will be no criminal charges. Click here for more.

13-year-old girl made call for help during tragic fire in Ireland

Word now that a 13-year-old girl called 999 in an effort to get help to save her family after her step-father apparently set the house on fire. The family of 7 in Omagh died in the November 13th fire. The girl was found clutching the telephone and rosary beads. Officials want to recognize Caroline McEhill’s efforts with a posthumous award for bravery. Click here for more details.

Christmas gifts end up as fuel for car fire in CA

Car fire video from Sacramento that has some news people excited.

To catch a thief

Apparently it wasn’t that hard in Indiana after some teens made off with a pumper and utility truck from a firehouse. Hard to run with the gear on. FireGeezer has gathered the links.

More from Fairfax 3-alarm warehouse fire

This is a different angle of Sunday’s fire in Springfield, courtesy of the Friendship Fire Association’s Karrie Pittsley. Damage is now estimated at 3.7 million dollars. Click here to see more pictures.

This is how Fairfax County Fire & Rescue described the fire in a press release issued Monday afternoon:

Firefighters reported heavy fire from the front with flames rising more than 50 feet above the roofline of the two-story, 100 by 300 foot warehouse. The warehouse was fully involved with fire causing firefighters to fight the fire from the exterior. The fire was brought under control in approximately 90 minutes.

Sand avalanche

Two men died and one was rescued in Arvin, CA after they were buried under sand when part a 75-foot high berm collapsed. Fire and rescue crews from Kern County and Bakersfield City worked the scene. The video above is from one of the fire departments. More video and details, here.

Gas pump firebug

No details on this one. Don’t know if it is old or know or where it happened. You may have seen it before, but I haven’t.

SC house fire

In Belle Meade, a woman saw sparks coming from her stove and an electrical outlet. This video is of the first units arriving to find fire through the roof above her kitchen. Click here for more details.

Get out of town

This is an interesting one from the early 90s when a dump fire forced the midnight evacuation of West Point, KY. If you want to see what the dump fire looked like, click here.

Around the web

The Daily Donna gets more interesting with each installment. Check out FireGeezer for his exclusive investigation into some strange doings in rural Arizona. Also, FossilMedic has an alarming story that still brings an extra chill to his winters.

WithTheCommand.com’s lead story is the cuts that are expected for first responders in the Bush administration’s new budget.

Grant at SConFire.com alerted me early Monday about the settlement between Charleston and SC OSHA. I was just too busy playing TV reporter to pass it on until now. You will find that and more SC news.

Firefighter Nation has a compilation of interesting fire apparatus driving techniques and lots of chat.

Rhett Fleitz has news from all corners of Virginia on VAFireNews.com and with Roanoke Fire Blog has been keeping us informed on the save of Scott Hetherington, who was revived after going into cardiac arrest during a house fire.

You may recall I recently ran an old TV ad for an early GE smoke detector. That was the 70s. Look at thehousewatch.com to see what one major city found out about smoke alarm use in 2007.

Firefighter Hourly has a variety of topics on the daily podcast.

Firefighter Spot has details on an FDNY fire marshal found shot to death at his home on Staten Island and a look at balloon frame construction issues.

Firehouse life

This is a profile of a fire station in Arvada, Colorado.

No one is saying ho, ho, ho when they get this electric bill

It is billed as 42,000 lights set to 12 different songs. A firehouse in Lexington, KY.

(Updated at 9:54 AM)

Old film of the day: This is an interesting find. It is one of three films STATter 911 has discovered of Joe McDonagh’s who was working for what was then called Fire Service Extension (FSE) of the University of Maryland’s Department of Engineering. This is the forerunner to MFRI. The film starts by showing the FSE offices (then upstairs at CPVFD) and then shows the burning of a large building. I have spotted coats from Queenstown and Capitol Heights. STATter 911 would love to hear from anyone who knows more about the film. The other films will be up later in the week.

3-alarms in Fairfax County

Master streams in abundance in Sunday mornings fire at a warehouse on Ward Park Lane in the Fullerton Business Park. The fire started in a coffee distribution business and spread to other firms in the warehouse complex. Damage is estimated at 3 million dollars. The picture above from Scotty Boatright. We have more of Scotty’s pictures and photos from Sean Arnold here.

Firefighters working in and on the spotlight

A light caught fire in the middle of a game between the Sonics and Warriors at KeyArena in Seattle on Sunday.

Lewistown where?

This video is quite interesting. The photographer arrives as the first fire engine pulls up on fire showing through the window of a store front. It isn’t long before things take off. Other parts of the video can be found here. All it says is that this is from Lewistown. It doesn’t say which Lewistown.

NC apartment fire

They apparently had a busy time last week with 7 different apartment fires in or near Carrboro, NC. This is one of them from Wednesday. Details and more video can be found here.

Boston 4-alarm fire from 2004

This is from November 16, 2004. A fire at 167 Chelsea Street in East Boston. A news helicopter arrives with the first fire trucks. The fire rapidly spreads to adjacent buildings. Two more parts to the video are here. More details and still pictures can be found here.

NY fire

A fire in an auto repair shop early Sunday in West Webster, NY.

Another auto repair shop

This is an older one with no date from LAFD. Watch what happens at 3:40 into the video right after someone yells for more pressure.

The smoke could be seen Sunday morning from Prince William County to Arlington County. The picture at the bottom was taken from South Kings Highway. The fire was in a warehouse at the Fullerton Business Park on Ward Park Lane in the Springfield area. The fire apparently started in a coffee distribution firm. Damage is estimated at 3 million dollars. No injuries were reported.

All of the photos, except the bottom two, are from Scotty Boatright. The last two are from Sean Arnold. Thanks to both of them for sharing the pictures.