VIDEO/PHOTOS: A Howard firefighter was minorly injured while battling a fire Tuesday in Elk Falls, the rural fire department said. The fire broke out around 7:40 p.m. in the 100 block of 7th Street. Crews found heavy smoke and flames coming from the building, and additional fire engines were called from Longton, Grenola, Moline, Howard and Cowley County Fire District No. 2 Atlanta.

During the fight, the Elk County Rural Fire Department said one Howard City firefighter was briefly trapped due to a ceiling collapse in the garage. He was able to free himself and sustained minor injuries. Other crews evacuated and fought the fire from the exterior. The department said the cause of the fire is still undetermined, and the building is expected to be a total loss.

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VIDEO: The San Antonio Fire Department just became the first fire department in the nation to be officially certified as a trauma-informed care agency.

Getting certified involves a long, rigorous process. We are looking closely at what goes into the process and what makes organizations so proud to acquire the title.

“A lot of people, when they’re going through a tough time, it can be really isolating,” said SAFD Peer Support Coordinator Lt. Ryan Westerhoff. ”It helps us understand each other as coworkers and gives each other a safe space, and when you have that in the work space, you can apply that to the citizens we serve.”

As part of the certification process, the Ecumenical Center in San Antonio followed SAFD for over a year as Westerhoff and SAFD leadership helped establish new policies regarding how staff interact with the public and with each other.

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VIDEO: A crash in Baltimore involving two cars and a MTA bus sent multiple people to the hospital, some with serious injuries early Thursday. According to the Baltimore City Fire Department, they received a call around 1:15 a.m. about a crash involving a bus and two cars at 100 Preston Street.

Emergency responders including a special operations team were needed for a complex extrication from one of the cars. A total of eight people were sent to hospitals in the area suffering from very serious to minor injuries. The area of East Preston Street and St. Paul Street has been closed as utility repair crews continue to work on downed traffic lights at the scene.

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PHOTOS: An early morning fire tore through a row of townhomes in Branchburg so quickly Wednesday morning, that it caused the roof to collapse on multiple units. The fire burned through the attached homes at The Red Rock Preserve on Old York Road just before 5:45 a.m.

NewsCopter 7 was over the scene as the gas-fed flames quickly spread through the cockloft. Families grabbed what they could in the terrifying early morning moments and ran out of the building, but say they are thankful that they escaped safely.

The fire gutted several townhouses, the building no longer has a roof, it melted away, and parts of siding were left dangling in the wind. As the fire burned, firefighters hit the blaze from every angle as the red and orange flames glowed in the dark early morning hours.

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Lt. Jason Brockmeyer has worked at Franklin Township Fire Department in Ohio for 20 years. Since he’s been there, his department was often called to fight highly dangerous flammable liquid fires.

“We were considered the experts in this field,” Brockmeyer said.

That’s because the township fire department had over 1,000 gallons of aqueous film forming foam, also called AFFF, given to them by nearby fuel storage facilities years ago. It’s a tool that firefighters have relied upon since the 1960s, which smothers flames with a heat resistant film.

The problem is that foam has high concentrations of PFAS, commonly called forever chemicals. PFAS come with health risks if humans are exposed.

Brockmeyer recalled a time when his chief asked him to figure out where to get rid of the foam.

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VIDEO: A dramatic apartment rescue in subzero Michigan temperatures. A wind-whipped house fire on the California coast. A Christmas Day blaze with a downed power line blocking the way. A fully engulfed camper in a crowded Pennsylvania campground.

These are the fires at the center of “American Inferno,” a new NewsNation YouTube digital series hosted by Lt. Bryan Mathiau of the Manchester, Connecticut, fire department.

“Fire doesn’t care who you are, it doesn’t slow down, and it never gives you the full story until you’re already inside,” Mathiau said. Mathiau, a combat veteran who served in Iraq and a former Connecticut Fire Academy instructor, has spent more than a decade in the fire service.

On the night of Jan. 19, 2026, the Wyoming, Michigan, fire department responded to a fire at the Crossroads Apartments. Crews found heavy smoke and fire on the back of the building when they arrived, moving quickly toward the roof, with three people trapped on the third floor.

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Crews battled a four-alarm fire at a pallet yard in Riverside as windy conditions made for a difficult firefight.

The blaze was reported at about 3:30 p.m. at a fence business on Main Street between Bartlett Avenue and Garner Road then spread to a pallet yard. At the scene, multiple pallets were fully engulfed in flames for reasons still under investigation. As a result of the firefight, Main Street was shut down.

“The conditions were very arduous for our firefighters; the prevailing winds, the high heat,” said Riverside City Fire Department Capt. Paul Seawright. NewsChopper4 was over the fire, where flames and large plumes of smoke were seen coming from the scene. Flames swelled into a nearby field, causing more difficulty for crews.

“The complexity of the incident was high on this, with it starting from one local building, spreading to the developing structures around that, such as the pallets and then the grass field, the vegetation,” Seawright said. “Our focus was on the vegetation field and constructing a perimeter.”

It’s unclear what sparked the fire. First responders have not said if any injuries were reported in connection with the incident.

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PHOTOS: Two firefighters are hurt after a crash between a fire truck and an 18-wheeler, according to the Madison County fire chief.

The crash unfolded on Monday at about 1:50 p.m. on E US Highway 90 at NE CR-255 in Lee, per Florida Highway Patrol troopers.

A Madison County Fire Rescue truck was heading north on SE CR-255 on the way to a fire possibly caused by a lightning strike, while a semi-truck hauling a flatbed trailer was traveling west on US Highway 90, according to FHP. The two vehicles crashed at the intersection of the highway and NE CR-255.

“The firetruck then overturned and the semi collided with a utility pole,” per an FHP press release. The firefighters were hospitalized in serious condition, according to law enforcement.

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VIDEOS: Four people are dead, including a child, after a multi-alarm fire ripped through a building in Queens on Monday afternoon. The four-alarm fire broke out just before 12:30 p.m. at a mixed-used building on College Point Boulevard between Avery and Pople avenues in Flushing.

Earlier on Monday, the FDNY confirmed that two adults and one child, a 3-year-old boy, were killed in the fire. Police later confirmed a fourth victim, an adult man, died on the way to the hospital. “We’re mourning the loss of four New Yorkers after today’s devastating four-alarm fire in Flushing. My heart is with their families, loved ones and every neighbor impacted,” Mayor Zohran Mamdani said in a post on his X account.

In an update on Monday evening, NYPD officials said three people, a 44-year-old man, 59-year-old man and 67-year-old woman, are in stable condition at Jacobi Hospital. Four more victims, a 33-year-old man, 39-year-old woman, 40-year-old woman and 51-year-old man, are in stable condition at NewYork-Presbyterian Qeens.

“This is a difficult and tragic day. There were several victims of this fire. I can confirm for you at this point that there were three fatalities,” said FDNY Commissioner Lillian Bonsignore during a press conference earlier on Monday.

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VIDEO: Fire crews rushed to a Brooklyn neighborhood early Sunday morning after flames tore through a home, leaving several people injured. When firefighters arrived at 124 Conklin Ave. in Canarsie, thick smoke filled the air as neighbors woke up to the sight of a house engulfed in flames.

The two-alarm fire broke out inside a three-story home, starting on the first floor and quickly spreading to the second. Vincent Dixon, who has been a member of the Canarsie Church of Christ next door for 25 years, says the sight was heartbreaking. “I woke expecting to come to church today and woke up to a bunch of messages and videos of flames, and it’s kind of like a shock,” Dixon said.

The church sustained only minor damage. “The church is doing okay; there are men over there fixing up the holes right now, so thankfully, there will be protection from the rain later,” Dixon added. Six people were hurt, four residents and two firefighters. Two of the residents suffered serious injuries and were taken to Brookdale Hospital.

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VIDEO: The National Fallen Firefighters Foundation (NFFF) has released a new documentary, “COVID: Coast to Coast,” featuring interviews with frontline workers and first responders about the first days of the pandemic and its aftermath.

The film, available to view on YouTube, includes accounts from fire departments in New York City, Boise, Idaho and West Barnstable, Massachusetts. The interviews were conducted in 2024.

The documentary reflects on the uncertainty and fear that marked the early stage of the pandemic. It also looks at how rapidly changing public health guidance affected day-to-day work. The film covers shortages of protective equipment, the spread of misinformation and the emotional strain carried into home life.

The documentary was produced by Cool Water and supported by funding from the Department of Homeland Security, the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the Assistance to Firefighters Grant Program.

NFFF CEO Victor Stagnaro said: “The pandemic tested our firefighters in ways we could never have anticipated. “Our bravest were on the ground, every day, witnessing the devastating impact COVID-19 had on their communities.

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VIDEO: The Fort Myers Fire Department participated in a program to learn sign language, aiming to improve communication with deaf people during emergencies.

Audrey Rodriguez, a mentor at the Sally J. Pimentel Deaf & Hard of Hearing Center, grew up hard of hearing and eventually lost all her hearing. She highlighted the importance of clear communication, noting, “Not many deaf people read lips. It doesn’t matter how old they are; people can become deaf at different age.”

Amy Turner, executive director of the Sally J. Pimentel Deaf & Hard of Hearing Center, shared the center’s experiences, saying, “We have had every situation that you can possibly imagine, and each one is more heartbreaking than the next.”

The center’s lunch and learn program teaches first responders how to communicate with the deaf community, providing sign language instruction and materials tailored to their needs. “We bring a sign language instructor, an interpreter, and all the materials that the staff or that agency would need. And we teach basic sign language that pertain to that business,” Turner said.

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VIDEOS: A fire broke out at a LyondellBasell chemical plant near Pasadena Thursday night, sending thick smoke and flames into the air and prompting a large emergency response from multiple agencies.

No injuries were reported.

The fire was reported around 9 p.m. at LyondellBasell’s Bayport Choate site, a sprawling chemical complex located at 10801 Choate Road in Pasadena.

The Harris County Fire Marshal’s Office identified the facility as a Chemical Process Unit at Lyondell BayPort and confirmed that everyone present at the time of the fire was accounted for.

Officials said the fire burned for several hours overnight, with flames and thick smoke visible from miles away.

The La Porte Office of Emergency Management said the main fire was fully extinguished early Friday morning.

Officials said the scene was transitioned back to LyondellBasell between about 2 a.m. and 3 a.m., and city emergency crews returned to service around 2 a.m.

Activity in and around the facility may continue as the company manages the incident and monitors conditions at the site.

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VIDEO/PHOTOS: As the weather warms on Delmarva, runners and walkers are becoming a common sight on local streets. In Milton, however, one runner stands out.

He moves through town in full firefighter gear while carrying an American flag.

Allen Jackson, a former Marine and National Guard member who now serves as a firefighter in Milton, is running miles around town this year to honor the firefighters who died in the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks.

Jackson’s goal is to run 343 miles in 2026, one mile for each of the 343 firefighters killed when the World Trade Center towers collapsed.

“The 343 miles that I’m trying to run comes from the 343 firefighters who lost their lives that day in the Twin Towers,” Jackson said.

For Jackson, the tribute is deeply personal. “It hits deep and heavy,” he said.

Jackson’s runs often take him along streets such as Mulberry Street in Milton. On any given day, he runs between one and three miles while wearing a 20-pound weighted vest designed to simulate the air pack firefighters carry into burning buildings.

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VIDEO/PHOTOS: Highway 80 in Emanuel County has reopened after a brush fire got out of control Wednesday, spreading to vehicles in a huge salvage yard.

The fire at Hadden’s Wrecking sent smoke billowing into the sky Wednesday afternoon.

Fire was jumping from one vehicle to another at the salvage yard that’s separated by U.S. 80. The fire was on the north side.

Fire crews say when they arrived on scene, at least 15 cars were on fire. The fire is estimated to have burned anywhere from 500 to 750 vehicles, according to fire crews.

The fire led to a multi-county response.

According to the Swainsboro Fire Department, the following agencies responded to the fire:

• Bulloch County Fire Department
• Statesboro Fire Department
• Metter Fire Department
• Treutlen County Fire Department
• GDC Inmate Crews from Johnson County
• Bulloch County C.A.F.E Team
• American Red Cross
• Georgia State Patrol
• Emanuel County Sheriff’s Office
• Swainsboro Police Department
• Georgia Department of Transportation
• Twin City Fire Department
• Dellwood Fire Department
• Adrian Fire Department
• Oak Park Fire Department
• Canoochee Fire Department
• Norristown Fire Department
• Countless volunteers who arrived in their personal vehicles

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VIDEOS/PHOTOS: Phoenix fire crews battled a large fire at an apartment complex early Wednesday morning that left dozens of people displaced.

Crews were first called to an apartment complex near 27th Avenue and Indian School Road around 3:30 a.m. for reports of a fire.

Video from the scene showed large flames and smoke coming from the top floor of one of the three-story residential buildings.

The call was upgraded to a first-alarm response by the fire department due to the size of the building, which experienced a partial roof collapse during the blaze.

ABC15 spoke with residents who had been evacuated, including two who said they opened the door to their apartment and saw flames were “coming right at them.” They described the experience as “terrifying.”

There is no word yet on the extent of damage, but Phoenix Fire officials say about 20 units were affected. Crews say about 30 people are displaced, and they are being assisted by the Red Cross.

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VIDEO: Louisville is getting a high-tech boost to its emergency response efforts.

City leaders unveiled a new Mobile Emergency Operations Center designed to help first responders coordinate during major incidents and large events.

Mayor Craig Greenberg introduced the new unit Tuesday at Waterfront Park.

The fully equipped command truck allows emergency teams to manage operations directly from the scene of a disaster or large public gathering.

This is the second Mobile Emergency Operations Center that can be sent anywhere across the state to help first responders manage emergencies in real time.

Greenberg said the new unit strengthens the city’s ability to respond before, during and after emergencies. “It increases our capabilities before, during and after incidents and events,” Greenberg said.

City leaders say the mobile center can be deployed during disasters such as severe flooding or large-scale emergencies, including the response to the UPS plane crash, which Greenberg referenced as an example of the type of incident where mobile coordination can be critical.

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VIDEO: In an emergency, every second matters, but for people who are deaf or hard of hearing, they can’t hear critical warnings like alarms or announcements.

A Mainer created a new app to help, and it’s already being used worldwide.

The app is called ALRM. It can hear emergency sounds, including gunshots, fire and carbon monoxide alarms and sirens.

Once the microphone detects one of those sounds, it sends a real-time alert to your phone, with visuals and vibrations.

The mastermind behind the app, Gavin Phelan, is still in high school.

“The user may not be able to hear it, but they’ll feel it,” Phelan said. “If a fire alarm went off, there’s no way of hearing that. But if they got the notification, they could then see it and then make the right decision.”

Phelan turned 16 in December. He’s been working on the app for more than two years. He first had the idea after the Lewiston mass shooting, when four people who were deaf lost their lives.

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A massive fire burned through a large warehouse in Brooklyn’s Sunset Park neighborhood early Wednesday, vaulting fire into the night sky as the emergency response intensified.

The fire broke out just after midnight, at a factory-type building on 53rd Street between First Avenue and Dead End, officials say.

When firefighters arrived, the fire had already spread to two other factory-type buildings, according to Kevin Woods, the FDNY’s chief of fire operations.

Woods said the response quickly escalated to five alarms, which is when all available units are requested on scene.

In an update shortly before dawn Wednesday, Woods said fire boats came in handy, given the fire’s proximity to the water. Firefighters were using 15,000 gallons of water a minute on the blaze, he said.

Two minor injuries were reported to firefighters, mainly related to smoke inhalation.

The smoke didn’t lift even after the flames were doused. People who live in the area were advised to keep their windows closed.

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VIDEO: The Greensboro Fire Department has released a plan to build 11 new fire stations across the city in response to the city’s growth.

This comes after announcements like Boom Supersonic and JetZero operating in Greensboro.

Deputy Chief of the Greensboro Fire Department Dwayne Church says the fire department prides itself on quick response times, and the city has the highest and most elite insurance services office rating, which means lower fire insurance premiums for homeowners.

“Our standard is we want the first unit to arrive at any house in the city of Greensboro in four minutes,” Church said.

Church says that with areas in the city quickly developing, some spots could face longer response times.

“We overlay our entire city with what we call diamonds, and we have those diamonds that have a response area of about a mile and a half in each direction so that we know that we can meet our standard recovery and have our first unit there within four minutes travel time,” Church said.

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