PHOTOS: Crews with Marion County Fire Rescue battled a massive fire in Dunnellon that was creating heavy, toxic smoke on Sunday morning.

The scene, near the intersection of E McKinney Avenue and North Williams Street, is the site of a large stockpile of CSX railroad ties where the fire broke out.

Railroad ties are pieces of wood, evenly spaced, that support steel rail tracks underneath a railroad.

MCFR said the ties are treated with creosote, a chemical preservative used to protect wood outdoors.

When creosote-treated wood is burned, it can release thick, irritating smoke, and authorities are advising residents to stay away from the area if possible.

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VIDEO: The Weslaco Fire Department has a new fire truck.

Rescue 1 is a heavy rescue pumper that cost the city $1.6 million.

The fire department said Rescue 1 will help address the growing demands in the city, and it’s capable of carrying all the equipment needed for all emergency calls.

“The crew on this truck will have all the equipment from hazmat, diving, water rescues, high angle, trench rescue, and all firefighting capabilities,” Weslaco Fire Chief Antonio Lopez said.

The department now has a total of eight fire engines in its fleet.

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VIDEO/PHOTOS: Wenwood Bay Winery and Restaurant was destroyed when its building caught fire early Sunday morning in Gasconade County.

The Owensville Fire Protection District reported that firefighters arrived around 1:40 a.m. Sunday to find the two-story, 15,000-square-foot building at 2441 State Highway K in the Bay area fully engulfed in flames.

“We could see the fire when we were leaving the city limits of Owensville,” Owensville Fire Chief Jeff Arnold said.

Harsh weather conditions and the distance to the nearest reliable fire hydrant prompted authorities to upgrade the fire to a fourth alarm.

Fire crews from multiple agencies used portable tanks and hand lines to combat the blaze from both the front and back of the building.

“We had roughly 17 different agencies respond, with the temperature and our closest reliable hydrant was all the way back here in Owensville, so it was a great distance to get back to the hydrant to be able to refill. So we were going through quite a bit of water at first, so we needed to have the extra tanker trucks there for water supply,” Arnold said.

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VIDEOS: Two people, including a police officer, were injured during a large fire Thursday evening in Joliet. The Joliet Fire Department said at around 2:20 p.m., crews were sent to the 0-100 block of South Eastern Avenue to investigate reports of a structure fire with people possibly trapped inside. Crews arrived at the scene and found heavy smoke coming from a one-story brick commercial building.

The strong fire eventually broke through the roof, fully engulfed the building and caused a partial collapse, according to investigators. SkyCam 9 flew over the building and saw the roof appearing to be completely destroyed as firefighter doused the building with water.

Officials said a person working inside the building suffered burns to their hands and a police officer was also injured. However, it is currently unknown what that injury to the officer is.

The fire department added no one was taken to the hospital as a result of the fire. No other information was released.

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Midwestern University’s Body Donation Program is continuing a successful joint training initiative with local firefighters to help them practice critical emergency procedures that they will eventually use on patients in the field, via a collaboration with the University’s Body Donation Program.

Over the course of three sessions in late January and early February, Glendale Fire Department Firefighters will receive training and hands-on practice in procedures such as emergency intubation, placement of chest tubes, intraosseous vascular access to establish IVs, cricothyrotomy (a procedure to establish an airway on a patient in extreme distress), and other extremely important lifesaving techniques used in the field every day.

Since all Glendale Firefighters are required to qualify as EMTs, and approximately half of them are also paramedics, the entire department will have the opportunity to participate. The Firefighters will practice these techniques using donors from the Midwestern Body Donation Program under the guidance of University faculty, staff, and healthcare students from the Emergency Medicine Club, giving the participants a chance to perfect their skills using actual human anatomy before employing the techniques in the field.

The cadaver training sessions are part of an ongoing series of collaborations between the Glendale Fire Department and Midwestern University, which include ride-along programs for Midwestern medical and physician assistant students, a Crisis Response Unit stationed at the University’s Glendale Campus, and more.

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VIDEOS: Bernalillo County Firefighters are featured in a new documentary series that provides a front-row seat to the real work behind the sirens and showcases the department’s growth.

BCFR Chief Zachary Lardy said, “It’s a positive service that we provide in the community, and it’s exciting to know where we came from as an organization. It’s kind of important for the next generation, for us to really lay that groundwork and to not lose that history and not lose all the hard work that came with the development of our organization.”

The documentary series, titled “Through Their Eyes: The History of Bernalillo County Fire & Rescue,” shares stories from individuals who shaped the department, whether they were volunteers or employees. The first three episodes focus on the North Region, with future episodes set to explore the East and South Regions within BCFR.

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VIDEO: More than 50 firefighters from across the region and country are getting hands-on training to improve their response in saving people’s lives when they’re trapped in a vehicle.

It’s all part of a free 3-day class, which includes donated equipment, all thanks to the Gary Sinise Foundation, a non-profit organization founded by the actor dedicated to serving and honoring American veterans and first responders.

Firefighters will learn how to use different equipment to perform heavy vehicle extrication and rescues like load securement and cribbing to lift a vehicle.

“With the equipment, we’re able to make the rescue as quick as we can with the equipment provided for safety for the patient that’s inside, but also the rescuers,” said Englewood Fire Department Deputy Chief Robert Blasetti.

Chief Blasetti said about a year ago, there was an incident on 776 where a pickup truck was underneath a dump truck where they didn’t have the proper equipment to perform a quick rescue.

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PHOTOS: Firefighters were battling a dangerous commercial blaze in South El Monte Wednesday afternoon, with propane tanks exploding at a property on North Tyler Avenue, according to Los Angeles County fire officials.

Crews were dispatched around 2:32 p.m. to the 2215 block of North Tyler Avenue, near Klingerman Street, with a second alarm requested just minutes later at 2:40 p.m.

Sky5 was overhead when KTLA’s Gil Leyvas reported the response was upgraded to a third alarm as of 3:15 p.m., after a second building caught fire. Minutes later, Leyvas said a shelter-in-place was ordered for the general area.

Despite the order, some residents, many of whom had their faces covered, gathered across the street from the firefight, even as a series of massive explosions erupted. At least 110 personnel were battling the blaze as of mid-afternoon with hazmat units en route.

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VIDEO: Music and memories filled Constitution Hall where hundreds of family members, first responders and policymakers celebrated the lives of the 67 people killed in a midair collision over the Potomac River one year ago.

“As we tried to make sense of the unimaginable, our families came together,” said a cousin of the Livingston family that lost a mother, Donna, and father, Peter, as well as their two daughters Everly and Alydia. “Families we had never met before found themselves connected in loss and by the shared work of how to move forward.”

“While we were powerless in that moment to help our loved ones, we were not powerless to help each other so that’s what we did, and we’ve been doing that ever since,” said Doug Lane who lost his 16-year-old son Spencer and wife Christine.

This memorial was organized and funded by victims’ families. In addition to honoring their loved ones’ lives, they took this opportunity to highlight the weeks of work by first responders, awarding each with a medal on stage.

“When the initial response ended, you kept coming back. Searching, working and ensuring that every one of our loved ones was ultimately returned home to us,” said another cousin of the Livingston family. “That commitment means more to our families that words can express.”

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PHOTOS: A massive fire burned on Laurel Island overnight Wednesday, causing ash to fall from the sky in Mount Pleasant, according to reports.

Charleston Police and fire crews responded to the former landfill turned greenspace just before 11 p.m. after a fire was seen near Romney Street.

Due to the fire containing grass, brush and debris, the Charleston Fire Department requested specialized brush firefighting vehicles from the Charleston, Saint Johns, and Mount Pleasant Fire Departments. Drone units were also deployed to assist in monitoring the conditions as they developed.

The fire reportedly affected approximately 20 acres of undeveloped land, and no structures were threatened by the blaze. Crews remained on the scene for several hours, declaring the fire fully extinguished just before 2 a.m. on Thursday.

It is not clear at this time what started the fire or if anyone was injured.

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Two people were hurt and several were displaced Tuesday following a fiery explosion at a Bell Gardens apartment complex, the Los Angeles County Fire Department said.

Crews were called to the area of Purdy Avenue and Loveland Street sometime before 6:30 p.m., officials said. There, firefighters battled a fire that was described as a “fully involved” incident at a two-story home.

“We just heard a loud sound bump, but we thought it was a car crash, and I saw people running and that’s when I came out and there was a lot of flame coming out and someone yelling help,” said Becky Villagomez, who lives in the area.

NewsChopper4 was over the scene, where heavy smoke was seen coming from the roof and a shattered window on the second floor. At least 60 firefighters and numerous emergency vehicles were seen tending to the scene.

Cellphone video also showed flames shooting from the roof of the apartment complex on Purdy Avenue.

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VIDEO: As sub‑zero wind chills settle in across Chicago, a rare and visually striking winter pattern has begun forming along the Lake Michigan shoreline: pancake ice — round, lily pad‑like discs that look sturdy, photogenic and deceptively walkable. But the Chicago Fire Department wants to send a clear warning: do not step onto the ice — any of it.

Deputy District Chief Jason Lach, who oversees CFD’s marine and dive operations, explained pancake ice forms when turbulent, freezing water begins to spin small chunks of ice into circular pads. From above, they resemble lily pads floating just off the shoreline.

“If you’re looking at it from above, it looks like a lily pad — just a circular disc in the water,” Lach said. The discs may appear thick, but their structure is uneven. Lach noted pancake ice “could be an inch in the middle and four inches on the outside, or vice versa,” making its stability impossible to judge from the surface.

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PHOTOS: Fires can spread quickly through a home, which is why it’s important to know how to slow that spread. KTXS spoke with the Abilene Fire Department about the training firefighters use to understand how fire moves through a structure.

“We have small dollhouses that we build to kind of replicate a full size structure,” AFD Training Division Captain, Trent Farmer, said. “We use those so you can visually see each part of the house. And that allows us to have people stand back in a safe environment where we can teach them and show them actual live fire without actually having to use a regular structure.” Farmer said one of the most important skills firefighters learn is how to control airflow.

“Natural windows and doors, if you keep everything closed, that restricts the flow path,” Farmer said. “Fire wants to move from higher pressure to lower pressure. So if you stop the ability to flow, I mean, we recommend that everyone sleeps with their door shut That allows us more time, and that allows our percent of the chances to help you guys and put the fire out and the survivability of the victims.”

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VIDEO/PHOTOS: An apartment fire in Bee Cave on Monday morning caused a “structure collapse,” according to fire officials. Lake Travis Fire Rescue crews responded to the fire at the Estates at Bee Cave apartment complex, located in the 3500 block of FM 620 South after a structure collapse. Assistant Fire Chief Michael Prather said crews first responded after receiving a call around 9:30 a.m.

Around 1 p.m., the fire had been contained. By 2:15 p.m., the fire was under control. Prather said the fire impacted one building at the complex, forcing 45 people out of their homes.

Officials said all of the impacted people were able to make it out safely. One responding firefighter was injured after slipping on ice. Lake Travis Fire Rescue said 30 of the 45 people displaced by the fire have found places to stay, whether with friends or family, or in vacant apartments within the apartment complex.

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The oldest continuously operating fire station in the world was recently added to the National Register of Historic Places. It’s in Northern Michigan and was built in 1888. The Manistee Fire Station, 281 1st St., was added to the national register on Jan. 20, city officials announced.

For generations, it has been a “cornerstone of public safety and community resilience,” the news release said. “Its distinctive architecture and enduring role in protecting the citizens of Manistee highlight both its historical and cultural significance.”

The designation underscores the station’s importance and guarantees that its legacy will be preserved for future generations, the release said.

This isn’t the first time the Romanesque Revival-style facility has earned recognition. In 2019, the Manistee Fire Station was awarded the title of “Oldest Continuously Manned Operating Fire Station” by Guinness World Records.

The fire station is one of more than 150 documented historic sites in Manistee County.

In the wintertime, the county “becomes an open-air museum blanketed in snow, each building, bridge and trail telling stories from lumber camp days to maritime trade and Victorian life,” according to Manistee Tourism.

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A Ford recall tied to engine block heaters matters now because winter habits—plugging in overnight—can quietly create the exact conditions that raise fire risk.

I’ll be honest: most recall headlines blur together until one lands in the overlap between “common behavior” and “rare but serious outcome.” This one sits right there.

If you live anywhere that gets real cold, you already know the routine. You plug the vehicle in overnight so the engine warms a bit before start-up. It’s practical, it’s normal, and it’s the kind of thing you do without thinking twice—especially if you’ve done it for years with no drama.

The issue is that this recall is specifically about the engine block heater system: the part that gets energized when the vehicle is plugged into household power. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and Ford, certain block heaters may crack and allow coolant to leak, which can create an electrical short when the heater is plugged in. That short can raise the risk of an under-hood fire while the vehicle is parked.

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One person was killed and 15 other people were hurt after a high-rise fire in the Bronx. Citizen App video from a wider angle showed the top floors of the building as they turned into an inferno. The fire broke out early Saturday at 12:19 a.m. on Bivonia Street between Reeds Mill Lane and Boston Road in Eastchester.

It started on the 15th floor of the Boston Secor Houses. The FDNY was on the scene at the time to investigate a possible gas leak in the building. Officials say work was being done in the building, but only on the facade. The explosion occurred in the building about 15 minutes after emergency officials arrived on the scene.

Several apartments became fully engulfed in flames. Residents were seen in the windows of the building and one man was even spotted dangling with his legs out of the building as he tried to escape the intense heat from the fire. One person was killed, another suffered critical injuries.

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VIDEO: A San Antonio firefighter is now the center of a pilot program that allows him to help his fellow brothers and sisters dealing with substance misuse. His addition to the counseling team offers a professional therapist who also understands the trauma firefighters go through.

Chris Raymond has worked for the San Antonio Fire Department for 22 years, spending the last 15 on the technical rescue team. His job in the department just shifted again, this time to the counseling team for a brand-new pilot program.

“As far as we can tell, the research we’ve done, it is the first of its kind, the only one in the nation. So right now, we’re kind of on the cutting edge of things,” Raymond said. He said it’s not only the first to add a licensed chemical dependency counselor to a fire department team but also one that is a firefighter himself.

“Having a firefighter occupy the position of a clinician is unique. I don’t sit in the seat and think, ‘I wonder what that’s like.’ I’ve lived it, and in many cases, I’ve lived it with them,” Raymond said. While the career is fulfilling, it can take its toll.

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VIDEO: On Friday, first responders got a lesson in homemade explosives at the Danville Fire Department. Crews said while this has not been an issue in Central Illinois, it’s better to know what to do just in case. More than 40 police officers and firefighters learned to identify how homemade explosives are made, and what do to when faced with them. They also saw how regular household items can be dangerous.

“Identify potential hazards that we may encounter on the job, specifically explosive hazards,” said Ben Crane of the University of Illinois Police Department. Police officers and firefighters got an in-depth lesson at the Danville Fire Department on homemade explosives, with the help of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).

“As first responders, we’re the first ones to get in these situations and so there may be a time where they go on a routine call, and encounter things that you start to put together that tells you that this is not typical,” said Ryan Allison of the Danville Fire Department.

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PHOTOS: Milwaukee firefighters responded to a large commercial fire Wednesday night, Jan. 21, at a U-Haul Moving & Storage facility in Walker’s Point. Milwaukee Fire Department Assistant Chief of Operations Schuyler Belott said the call came in shortly after 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday to the U-Haul Moving & Storage facility near Barclay and Orchard.

A FOX6 News crew on scene observed firefighters working to contain and extinguish the fire. Heavy flames could be seen coming from the building. According to the Milwaukee Fire Department, cold temperatures and wind made the fire attack more challenging. In addition, many void-spaces within the buildings made it difficult to find hidden fires.

MFD companies remained on the scene Thursday extinguishing spot fires. Fire officials said the size of the building and the intensity of the fire prompted a significant response early on. A total of 37 first responder units were dispatched to the scene. Belott reported no injuries and said the cause of the fire is under investigation.

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