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National Fire News

VIDEOS: Trailer carrying fireworks ignites in spectacular display on Tennessee highway

Cellphone video captured a spectacular, pre-Fourth of July display of fireworks on a Tennessee highway Saturday evening as a trailer carrying the incendiary haul erupted, authorities said.

First responders racing to a reported vehicle fire on northbound Interstate 75 in the community of Ooltewah found a stopped work truck hauling a box trailer that was ablaze and popping with pyrotechnics, fire officials said.

“The trailer was full of fireworks, all of which became involved in the fire and exploded during the incident,” the Tri-Community Volunteer Fire Department said in a statement.

It added in a Facebook video that fireworks “were going off in different directions, endangering drivers.” Cellphone video shows fireworks rocketing spectacularly from the trailer as dark smoke spirals into the sky.

Authorities shut down the highway, roughly 25 miles east of Chattanooga, as a precaution and to allow first responders to get through traffic, the fire department said. Chattanooga city crews assisted.

The cause of the fire was not immediately available, and no injuries were reported. The roadway eventually reopened after cleanup was completed, the Tri-Community fire department said.

NBC News View Full Story

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More than 1 million Jeep vehicles recalled over fire risk as owners warned not to park inside

Stellantis is recalling more than 1 million Jeep Wrangler and Gladiator vehicles over a defect that could spark a fire, urging owners to park their vehicles outdoors and away from buildings until a remedy is available.

The recall covers an estimated 1,076,999 model-year 2021–2025 Jeep Wrangler and Gladiator vehicles. In the affected vehicles, an electrical issue involving the wiring for the electric hydraulic power steering pump could cause nearby materials to overheat and potentially ignite, as first reported by the Detroit Free Press and The Detroit News.

“In rare circumstances, this may cause combustible materials to overheat, potentially leading to a vehicle fire,” Stellantis spokesperson Frank Matyok said in a statement to FOX Business.

Matyok added that FCA US, the automaker’s U.S. operating unit, is advising owners to park affected vehicles away from structures and other vehicles “out of an abundance of caution.”

The automaker said it has not yet finalized a repair but expects a remedy to be available by July. Once the fix is ready, affected owners will be notified by mail and instructed on how to schedule repairs at their local dealership.

“Affected customers will be notified by first class mail when they can schedule service. FCA US is working diligently to accelerate remedy availability and anticipates a solution no later than July,” Matyok said.

FOX Business View Full Story

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VIDEOS: Fire heavily damages historic building in Indiana; deemed unsafe to enter

PHOTOS: Sirens, smoke, and dozens of firefighters filled downtown as crews worked to put out a fire at the historic Lafayette Building. Firefighters have said finding the cause of the fire will take some time.

A little before 8:20 Monday morning, the South Bend Fire Department was dispatched to downtown South Bend. When firefighters arrived, they found the Lafayette Building on fire. The fire kept multiple crews busy for most of the day. The fire was marked under control around 11 a.m.

A South Bend engine company returned to the scene as the fire rekindled on Monday afternoon. Firefighters kept an eye out for hotspots, ready to pour water on those hotspots.

Firefighters could not get inside because it was deemed unsafe to enter the building, meaning they would not be able to search for a cause on Monday.

While heading to work in South Bend’s downtown, many people were met with black smoke billowing from the west side of the building.

WSBT-TV CBS 22 South Bend View Full Story

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VIDEOS: Crews battle five-alarm fire at pallet factory in New York

PHOTOS: Firefighters spend the overnight and early morning hours battling a five-alarm fire on Lyell Avenue.

The fire broke out shortly after 11:00 p.m. Sunday at Pallet Express, on Lyell Avenue near Glide Street and spread to a fifth alarm very quickly.

They got the fire under control by Monday morning. No injuries were reported.

Lt. Howard Villegas, a public information officer with the Rochester Fire Department, said crews expect to be on scene for hours but are confident they can keep the fire from spreading.

“Considering the heavy fire load, we’re going to be here quite a while, but we’ll have it contained to just this building,” he said.

Villegas said the building is a large structure filled mostly with pallets, and that several trucks on the property are also expected to be lost. No one was inside the building, he said, and while it had sprinklers, they were unable to contain the fire.

Neighbors were evacuated due to concerns the fire could spread to residential areas. RG&E is reporting more than 500 outages in the area around the fire.

WHAM-TV ABC 13 Rochester View Full Story

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‘A gift of life’: Oregon firefighter back on duty after kidney transplant

VIDEOS: A longtime Portland firefighter is finally back on duty after receiving a life-saving kidney transplant.

FOX 12 was introduced to Venedo Alcazar in December 2024. The Portland firefighter of nearly 20 years was living with stage five chronic kidney disease and searching for an organ donor.

Then something remarkable happened. Dr. Karen Douek, a retired nephrologist, otherwise known as a kidney doctor, saw our story and volunteered to donate her kidney.

In December of last year, the two underwent transplant surgery at Legacy Good Samaritan Medical Center. “I always knew I was going to give a kidney at some point.

To know it’s Venedo, a firefighter who puts his life on the line every day, feels really special,” said Douek. Three months later, Alcazar was back in the hospital.

Doctors discovered a mass on his native left kidney. Alcazar said they told him there was an 80% chance that there was renal cancer.

He underwent another surgery to remove the affected kidney. “It felt kind of cool having three kidneys for a while and now I’m just down to two,” said Alcazar.

After a lengthy recovery coupled with a clean diet, Alcazar is medically cleared to fight fires again.

KPTV FOX 12 Portland View Full Story

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VIDEOS: Electric vehicle explodes in Massachusetts driveway, causing fire that burned 2 homes

An electric vehicle exploded in a driveway in Winthrop, Massachusetts, sparking a massive fire that burned two homes Sunday.

The vehicle, parked between the two houses on River Road, caught fire around 4:30 p.m., drawing a number of firefighters to the scene, including from the surrounding cities of Chelsea, Revere and Boston.

Two people, including a pregnant woman, were taken to the hospital but are expected to be OK, according to firefighters. A teenager who lives in one of the homes tells NBC10 Boston she’s concerned about everyone affected by this fire.

“Our windows just completely melted and burned inside of our house…in my room I have so much memories made. I don’t know what it looks like in there, but I know it’s definitely bad,” she said. “I’m very, very scared and not only just for me, but for my family and everyone else who lives in these two buildings.”

WBTS-CD NBC 10 Boston View Full Story

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VIDEOS: Massive fire burns at least a dozen boats at Massachusetts yacht club

A massive fire broke out overnight at a yacht club in Winthrop, Massachusetts, destroying at least a dozen boats.

Winthrop Fire Chief Stephen Calandra said the department received a call shortly after 2:30 a.m. for six boats on fire at the Cottage Park Yacht Club on Orlando Avenue. Flames spread to six other boats in Boston Harbor, with at least 12 boats lost that the chief said were very expensive, high-end value vessels.

All of the boats were unoccupied, according to Calandra, who said they confirmed with yacht club staff. No injuries have been reported. Massachusetts State Police are on scene.

The chief said a challenge was running the hose lines from the street to the furthest point of the marina, requiring a lot of man power. He said they received great assistance from the marine units of Boston, Everett and Massport, who helped them contain the fire and keep it away from the building.

Two boats broke free, and one was still burning on Snake Island, according to Calandra, who said crews were unable to access it at the time due to low tide. The other boat ran aground on Point Shirley but is burnt out.

When asked how the fire spread like this, Calandra said, “Gasoline on top of the water, and the whole decking is composite Trex, so when that starts burning, it’s not like wood, wood you can put out easy. This stuff just keeps burning.”

“The only way to put the fire out with gasoline on top of the water is foam, that’s the most effective way. That’s what knocked it down,” he added.

There are environmental concerns after this fire, according to the chief. The Coast Guard cleanup team was on its way, along with environmental police. The Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection was notified.

WBTS-CD NBC 10 Boston View Full Story

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Michigan family carries on father’s mission to restore Franklin’s historic 1929 Mack fire truck

VIDEO: A 1929 Mack fire truck that served the Detroit Fire Department, the Detroit Zoo, and the Franklin-Bingham Farms Fire Department is at the center of a community restoration effort — and a family’s tribute to the man who dedicated himself to bringing it back to life.

Gary Roberts, a Franklin firefighter and self-described gearhead, spent years working to restore the historic truck before dying of esophageal cancer at age 70 a few weeks ago. Now, his children are picking up where he left off and launching an online fundraiser to get the Mack parade-ready within the next two years.

The truck’s connection to the Roberts family spans generations. Gary’s father, David, was also a Franklin firefighter who rode the Mack in parades and worked to keep it running after the engine gave out. When David died, Gary took over the restoration. Gary’s son Ben Roberts grew up watching his grandfather tinker with the truck and has his own memories tied to it.

“This has always been part of the family. Been very much engaged on playing with it. I remember very much as a little kid, there used to be a bell that was about right here. You’d ding it all the time. Kids love climbing on this thing in parades. It’s a huge, basically a centerpiece for the Franklin community,” Ben Roberts said.

WXYZ-TV ABC 7 Detroit View Full Story

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9/11 Memorial PSA aims to educate millions who weren’t alive during the terror attacks

VIDEOS: A new public service announcement from the 9/11 Memorial & Museum is aimed at a generation of Americans who have no memory of the attacks. “I wasn’t there. I didn’t see the planes,” a voice says in the 60-second spot.

The campaign targets the roughly 100 million Americans who were not alive on Sept. 11, 2001, those who never witnessed the terrorism and heroism, and never experienced the service and sacrifice of that day.

Among them is 12-year-old Kylie Corrigan. Her father and uncle serve with the FDNY, following in the footsteps of her grandfather, retired FDNY Capt. James Corrigan, who died in the collapse of the South Tower. When asked to take part in the PSA, she agreed immediately.

“I wasn’t there, but I’ll never forget,” she says in the campaign. “I kind of just think of him as my dad because everyone always says that they look alike and they have the same personalities,” Corrigan said.

The PSA is part of the Memorial & Museum’s “Never Forget” fundraising campaign, which aims to raise $25 million.

WABC-TV ABC 7 New York City View Full Story

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VIDEOS: Massive fire destroys historic Hudson River Psychiatric Center in New York

PHOTOS: A massive fire tore through the historic Hudson River Psychiatric Center, drawing a sweeping multi-agency response and destroying a piece of the region’s history.

Poughkeepsie Town Hall said firefighters from multiple departments, county agencies, Town Police and multiple town departments worked “tirelessly to contain the fire” at the former campus. Officials said there have been “no serious injuries.”

Town officials said that “In the last hour despite heroic efforts, we have lost the historic Admin Building designed by Thomas S. Kirkbride-a National Historic Landmark.” Poughkeepsie Town Hall said the town will work with the county on “a very thorough investigation” and provide updates as more information becomes available.

U.S. Rep. Mike Lawler, in a Facebook post, asked residents to support crews on scene:

“Please keep the firefighters and first responders battling the fire at Hudson River Psychiatric Center in Dutchess County in your prayers. With two fully involved buildings, this has been a significant and dangerous response. Thank you to all of the brave firefighters, EMS personnel, law enforcement officers, and emergency personnel who answered the call and are working tirelessly to protect lives and contain the blaze. We are grateful for your courage and service to our communities. Stay safe.”

WRGB-TV CBS 6 Schenectady View Full Story

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Retired San Francisco firefighter dies from lung cancer after losing insurance battle

VIDEO: The retired San Francisco firefighter at the center of a bitter insurance fight has lost his battle against cancer.

Ken Jones passed away Saturday, 14 months after being diagnosed with stage four lung cancer. We first told you about Jones in January — when the 17-year veteran and supporters asked the City Commission for help.

The Fire Department’s insurance carrier, Blue Shield, denied coverage for some of his recommended treatments.

Ken Jones was 70 years old. “After we got some publicity, thank you, a Blue Shield physician reached out to Ken’s physician, and they worked out a different plan that Blue Shield would cover. It’s still an incomplete plan,” said Helen Horvath, Jones’ wife when ABC7 Eyewitness News spoke to her in January, 2026.

Since then, Jones’ story has led to an investigation into other cases, with the city’s mayor vowing to support firefighters.

According to San Francisco’s Health Service Board, about 5,000 city employees and retirees are insured by Blue Shield. Now, city leaders are asking anyone who has been denied cancer treatment to speak up.

Tony Stefani with the Cancer Prevention Foundation said firefighters with a cancer diagnosis have a 14% higher chance of dying than other cancer patients in the general population.

KGO-TV ABC 7 San Francisco View Full Story

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VIDEO: Fire destroys commercial building in Maine

A building belonging to an electrical contracting company in Randolph was destroyed in a fire Wednesday night, according to responding fire officials.

According to the Gardiner Fire Department, a storage building caught fire on the Coutts Brothers property on Barber Road.

The company posted about the “significant fire” on its Facebook page and said it happened in one of the barns on the property.

Nobody was hurt in the fire or during the response to put it out. Several towns were called for mutual aid, including the West Gardiner and Chelsea Fire Departments. Officials could not say what caused the fire.

WMTW-TV ABC 8 Poland Spring View Full Story

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VIDEO: 15 cars burned as crews battle 2-alarm fire at Washington landscaping business

PHOTOS: Crews were at the scene of a large two-alarm fire at a landscaping business in the Ames Lake area of Redmond Wednesday morning.

Eastside Fire & Rescue said the business is in the 27900 block of Redmond Fall City Road. That road was closed at the scene. The fire was reported by multiple callers at around 3 a.m.

Battalion Chief Catherine Breault said the fire was escalated to two alarms relatively quickly as a building became engulfed in flames. The fire then spread to trees in the area, a second building, and 15 cars parked in a lot.

Breault said there was a long delay getting water on the fire because water had to be brought in by trucks, as the hydrant in the area didn’t have enough pressure. A lot of explosions were reported from gas tanks and other items in the business.

Firefighters from Bellevue, Fall City, Snoqualmie, and Redmond responded. No injuries have been reported.

KOMO-TV ABC 4 Seattle View Full Story

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West Virginia University fans convert ambulance into ‘tailgate-mobile’

VIDEO: It was ‘up and at ’em’ for West Virginia baseball fans at the NCAA Baseball Regional on Sunday morning.

After watching their Mountaineers drop a marathon of a loss to Kentucky on Saturday, fans of the old gold and blue had their breakfast fixings all set up, and if there were any problems, the “Light Blue Rescue” squad would be there to save the day.

Chris Marshall, a WVU fan from Morgantown, one of the regular tailgaters seen in the Light Blue lot on football Saturdays, is giving his tailgating ambulance some extra work.

“We happened to find an old ambulance sitting on the side of the road,” Marshall said. “You know, after they got some money and you know…we got the tailgate-mobile…had to do a lot of rehab to get it road-worthy, but it’s been a great addition to tailgating.”

Marshall and his friends have converted an out-of-commission ambulance for any tailgating emergency. From coolers to beverages to a place to cook, the old-gold-and-blue-clad ambulance has everything a fan could need.

WBOY-TV NBC/ABC 12 Clarksburg View Full Story

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International News: Foreign nationals among at least 21 killed in India fire

VIDEO: At least 21 people have been killed and dozens injured after a fire tore through a multi-story building in south Delhi, police in India’s capital say.

Many of the victims were foreigners – including people from South Asian and African countries – who had travelled to India for medical treatment or to accompany relatives undergoing care, local media reported.

The building in the Malviya Nagar area allegedly operated as a bed-and-breakfast catering to patients and relatives of those receiving treatment at a nearby private hospital.

More than 40 people were rescued and taken to hospital. It remains unclear how many were inside the building when the fire broke out. Its cause is not yet known. The blaze is one of the deadliest in recent years in the Indian capital.

“The fire was brought under control quite early on – it was contained very quickly. We have now cleared the building and opened it up for the police,” fire officer AK Malik said.

Delhi minister Ashish Sood said authorities were investigating whether the building had the necessary permissions to operate as a bed-and-breakfast facility, adding that those found responsible for any violations would face criminal action.

BBC View Full Story

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VIDEO: 5 abandoned homes catch fire in Chicago’s south suburbs

Five abandoned homes caught fire early Tuesday morning in Chicago’s south suburbs, leaving some nearby residents without electricity. The fire broke out around 3 a.m. near 155th Street and Turlington Avenue in Harvey. Five homes were involved in the blaze, and no injuries were immediately reported.

According to Alderwoman Colby Chapman, the homes had been abandoned for nearly 10 years. She added that electricity is out near 155th Street and Broadway. ComEd has been notified, but there is no timetable for when power will be restored. The cause of the fire is still unknown.

Chapman said abandoned properties have been a recurring issue in Harvey for years and that the city council is working on legislation to address deteriorating homes and hold property owners accountable.

“This [Tuesday morning fire] is right here in the second ward where I serve. And for about 20 years, many of these homes have been abandoned. And it’s just gonna take an overall coordinated effort as we continue to move forward to bring the city back on its feet,” Chapman said.

“We’re identifying and just overall looking at solutions that can be supportive to the many homes that are in a very dilapidated condition. I think much of this, we have to put the onus on the landowners and ensure that we have a correspondence with them for negligence and holding them accountable for, you know, leaving these distressed properties in our city,” Chapman said.

WFLD-TV FOX 32 Chicago View Full Story

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Push to add fifth firefighter on engines in New York City to speed up fire response times

VIDEO: There’s a new push to increase the number of firefighters on New York City fire engines. Right now, there are five firefighters on only 20 fire engines, which is just 10 percent of the department’s fleet. Supporters want to increase the number of 5 firefighters per engine to half of the entire fleet.

In a year when New York City has seen 46 fatal fires in just the first five months of the year, including a 61-year-old man killed Monday morning in Sunnyside, Queens, city leaders are searching to address the problem to save lives.

“Behind each of these statistics lies a story of sorrow, a life that is cut short, a loss, and a single moment that lasts forever for their loved ones and for our city,” NYC Council Speaker Julie Menin said.

Menin said the firefighters’ unions and several other council members are calling for five-person crews in 86 engine companies that are the busiest and deadliest areas of the city.

“The FDNY only reports how long it takes for the first unit to arrive in a fire. It does not report how long it takes to get water on the fire. It takes quite a bit of time to assemble the entire team. It takes longer to get all the rigs there. That’s why it’s more important to have the first arriving engines having this initial staffing. You get that hose in place quickly,” Andrew Ansbro with the Uniformed Firefighters Association said.

“The fifth firefighter is only not necessarily a silver bullet to stop to solve all of those problems.” During a city council budget meeting on Monday afternoon, FDNY Brass told the council it’s unclear if adding a fifth firefighter will improve response times.

WABC-TV ABC 7 New York City View Full Story

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Thousands gather for funeral of Boston firefighter Robert Kilduff

PHOTOS: Thousands of mourners gathered Monday at the Cathedral of the Holy Cross for the funeral of Boston firefighter Robert “Bobby” Kilduff Jr., who died in the line of duty on May 23, battling a three-alarm fire in Dorchester.

First responders from across Massachusetts and other states — including New Hampshire, New York and California — lined Washington Street in Boston’s South End to salute the funeral procession, at some points standing five people deep.

The procession, including bagpipers, passed under a massive American flag hanging over the street, held in place by the extended ladders of two fire trucks. The fire truck carrying Kilduff’s casket was draped with black bunting; the casket itself was covered with an American flag.

Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey, U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren and Boston Mayor Michelle Wu were among the dignitaries at the funeral. Speaking at the service, Wu said Kilduff “embodies Boston.”

“ For nearly 350 years, longer than anywhere else in America, Boston firefighters have shown up. And when one of our protectors lays down their life in service to our city, every heart in Boston feels the pain of that loss,” Wu said. “Bobby Kilduff answered the call. He gave his life making sure his neighbors got another day.”

WBUR-FM 90.9 Boston View Full Story

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VIDEOS: 2 firefighters injured, dozens displaced from Connecticut apartment fire

PHOTOS: Firefighters from numerous departments spent Sunday morning fighting a fire at a Groton apartment complex.

According to the City of Groton Fire Department, the fire broke out at The Ledges Apartments at approximately 3 a.m. Poquonnock Bridge Fire District Chief Jeffrey Rheaume said it was a three-alarm fire, and most of the southeast Connecticut fire departments responded for such a large fire.

Norwich Fire Department was among the 18 departments called in to fight the fire. Old Saybrook Fire Department sent 12 firefighters, who “worked the interior of the building conducting secondary searches.”

An Old Saybrook tower ladder also worked alongside other departments outside the building. Rheaume said the building has 44 units and 43 of them were occupied at the time of the fire.

Fire officials said if the units were not damaged by fire, the units were damaged by smoke and water. Rheaume estimated that 60 people were displaced from the fire.

“At first I thought it was a drill,” resident I’Asia Jones said. “The fire alarm woke me up, and my dog woke me up as well.” Sunday afternoon Jones and other residents said they were able to retrieve some of their belongings from inside their units.

WTNH-TV ABC 8 New Haven View Full Story

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Houston remembers firefighters lost from deadly Southwest Inn fire, 13 years later

VIDEO: It has been 13 years since a five-alarm fire at the Southwest Inn in southwest Houston turned into one of the Houston Fire Department’s most devastating losses. First responders were dispatched to the motel along the Southwest Freeway on May 31, 2013.

At the scene, Houston Fire Capt. Bill “Iron Bill” Dowling believed several people were still inside, prompting a rescue push as flames spread through the building.

That effort ended in tragedy when a portion of the structure gave way.

Four firefighters — Robert Bebee, Matthew Renaud, Anne Sullivan and Robert Garner — were killed that day. Capt. Dowling suffered severe injuries and later died in 2017. Thirteen other firefighters were hurt.

In a 2023 remembrance, KPRC 2 meteorologist and anchor Khambrel Marshall described spotting thick smoke while heading back toward the station with photojournalist Wendel Johnson and diverting toward the fire.

KPRC-TV NBC 2 Houston View Full Story

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