VIDEO/PHOTOS: Two fire chiefs who were searching for a missing Berks County woman while riding on a UTV were struck and killed by a man who was driving under the influence, police said.

Fire Chief Jeffory L. Buck and Assistant Fire Chief Robert R. Shick, Jr., of the Walnuttown Fire Company, were driving in the UTV northbound on the shoulder of Kutztown Road in Richmond Township, Pennsylvania, shortly before 6 p.m. on Saturday when a Toyota Camry was seen by witnesses swerving while going southbound, police said.

Officials said the Camry swerved off of the road and hit the UTV head-on. The two firefighters died from their injuries, according to police. “You don’t really prepare yourself for an incident like this,” Walnuttown Fire and Rescue Lieutenant Ryan Tyson said. “Let alone two at the same time.”

NBC10 crews at the scene saw a red-colored off-roading vehicle on its side in the middle of the roadway and a gray-colored sedan with extensive damage off the side of the road.

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A truck driver was critically injured overnight after the 18-wheeler he was driving crashed, knocking down power lines before catching fire, police said.

Officers responded to a crash around 1 a.m. on Sunday, April 5, at a Valero gas station located at 13900 Trinity Boulevard, the Fort Worth Police Department said in a press release. The crash involved a car and an 18-wheeler carrying 9,000 gallons of gasoline, the release states.

Powerlines were knocked over in the crash, causing the 18-wheeler to catch fire, police said. The driver of the 18-wheeler attempted to stop gasoline from leaking and draining in the gas station parking lot, but the fire spread to the gasoline, causing it to ignite, police said. The driver was taken to a hospital in critical condition, according to the press release.

The fire burned for hours overnight as fire crews worked to spray the tanker with water to keep it cool, the release states. Firefighters also used foam to fight the fire, and sand trucks were used to prevent the foam from running off, police say. Crews fought the fire for six hours, leaving the scene at 7 a.m., according to the release.

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There’s heavy equipment across every corner of the Fire Engine and Motorcoach Museum in East Windsor. “We have a collection of 15 antique firetrucks and eight vintage buses,” said museum president John Gasper. As the country is recognizing its 250th birthday, Gasper is quick to point out that the collection at the museum plays a vital role in firefighting history and, additionally, Connecticut history.

“The engines are like apple pie, it’s Americana. A lot of people relate to the stuff here,” said Gasper, who then laughed, “Who doesn’t love a firetruck?” Gasper noted that the museum collection dates back 100 years, to one engine from 1926 to the most “recent”: a firetruck from 1975.

“We want to preserve the state of Connecticut firefighting and bus service, and also fire safety for kids, and bring these vehicles to kids in the community so they can get exposed to the history,” he said. Aside from visitors seeing the engines and vintage buses, the volunteers at the nonprofit museum also bring their treasured keepsakes to events like parades and public events.

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PHOTOS: Two adults and one child died in a house fire in the Sugar Creek neighborhood in Greer, South Carolina. Firefighters were called to the house on Sugar Creek Lane at 9:30 p.m. Thursday. They said two women and a child were found dead in the home. The names of the victims have not been released. The Greenville County Coroner’s Office, Greenville County Sheriff’s Office and law enforcement agencies are investigating.

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El Paso’s fire protection system has been recognized among the best in the country, with the El Paso Fire Department earning an ISO Class 1 rating from the Insurance Services Office.

The designation is the highest classification ISO grants, and fewer than 1 percent of the more than 30,000 fire departments in the United States hold an ISO Class 1 rating.

The department also continues to maintain international accreditation through the Center for Public Safety Excellence’s Commission on Fire Accreditation International, a distinction held by only 334 agencies worldwide. Only 12 fire departments in the country serving populations over 500,000 hold both recognitions.

Officials said the distinctions reflect exceptional performance in emergency response, fire suppression, communications, training, fire prevention and water supply.

This rating affirms what the El Paso community sees every day: a fire department that is fast, professional, highly trained, and ready to respond,” Fire Chief Jonathan Killings said. “It reflects years of strategic investment, accountability, and the dedication of our personnel to protecting lives and property.”

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After an electric car crashed into the Bedford tolls and burst into flames Tuesday, fire departments in New Hampshire said they have several methods to handle EV fires.

Officials said each fire is handled on a case-by-case basis, depending on the best fire suppression method. Litchfield Fire Chief Doug Nicoll said there were roughly 8,000 battery cells underneath the vehicle involved in Tuesday’s crash.

He says once one battery catches fire, the rest can quickly ignite through a process known as thermal runaway. “Thermal runaway starts a chain reaction that moves through the batteries, overheating them until they combust,” Nicoll said.

Nicoll responded to the Bedford fire and said his department is still working to determine the best ways to contain and extinguish EV fires.

“They used a fire blanket yesterday. There are pros and cons to everything,” Nicoll said. “The fire blanket worked. However, there are also other methods, like using copious amounts of water.”

After the fire blanket was applied, the vehicle was removed to Bailey’s Towing auto yard in Merrimack. Officials said the wreckage and batteries could continue burning for several weeks. In the meantime, the blanket remains on top of the car.

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The National Fallen Firefighters Foundation (NFFF) will attend and participate in the annual Fire Department Instructors Conference (FDIC) International in Indianapolis from April 20-25. This year’s conference carries special significance as the nation prepares to mark the 25th anniversary of 9/11.

In recognition of that milestone, the NFFF will host events to honor the firefighters who risked and lost their lives on September 11, 2001, honoring their legacies and sacrifices.

“The courage, dedication, and leadership of our nation’s firefighters inspire us every day. As we gather at FDIC International, the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation is proud to honor those whose experience and training prepared them to lead on one of our nation’s most unimaginable days,” said National Fallen Firefighters Foundation CEO Victor Stagnaro.

“The training at FDIC helps ensure today’s fire service is prepared with that same level of leadership when it is needed most. From the Night of Honor to the Whelen Challenge and the 9/11 Memorial Stair Climb, this week reflects our mission in action, honoring our fallen heroes, supporting their families, and working to prevent future tragedies.”

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VIDEO: After years of fighting fires, Hamburg Fire Chief Jarrod Emes recently decided to no longer focus on fires, but family.

“I wrapped up a twenty-eight-year career. The tail end of it was just a refocus on family. It’s been a long time serving the organization and community,” said Emes.

For his replacement? Well — he decided to focus on family there, too. “A lot of family history here. Departments across the county and the region, there’s a lot of family involvement and the time it takes for organizations to grow and develop,” Emes said.

Not someone above or below him, but right by his side helping the community. “We could look to each other when we knew a particular job needed to get done,” said Chief Bethany Thren.

His sister Beth is taking the helm as chief of the Union Fire Company No. 1 of Hamburg. They say there’s no sibling rivalry here, just a focus on putting out the flames. “She’s always kind of looked up to me. I think it’s really proud to pass it on,” he said.

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PHOTOS: Explosions and a large fire prompted a large response in Lebanon. Firefighters spent hours putting out flames at an industrial building off State Route 48m by Turtlecreek Union Road. The Lebanon Fire Department says it was an explosive battle, contained to an industrial garage located at the back of the property.

It happened at the R.W. Long Lumber and Box Company. Crews say the fire broke out around 10:30 p.m. Tuesday night and kept crews busy for hours. Winds overnight made that even more challenging, with wind speeds around 15 mph, along with 25 mph gusts.

Officials say there were semi-tractor trailer and pallets inside the building, leading to explosions, though it is unclear what exactly was inside. Fire crews described the challenges they faced.

“With something like this, a house would be a whole lot easier,” Asst. Chief Derek Harper, with Lebanon fire, explained. “This takes a lot of manpower, it takes a lot of guys, it takes a lot of water, it takes a lot of time. We had to bring in front loaders to dig through all the debris, tear down some of the walls, dig through the pallets so that we could finish putting the fire out.”

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PHOTOS: On March 30, 1925, a fire swept through Mammoth Hot Springs that destroyed a number of buildings and a fleet of Yellowstone National Park (YNP) vehicles.

As park officials were preparing for the summer season, an oil furnace exploded in the blacksmith shop located within the Yellowstone Park Transportation Company’s maintenance building. Buses of Yellowstone Preservation Trust, a Montana-based historical organization and museum, posted to its social media account on Monday recounting the devastating fire that took place 101 years ago and destroyed over 80 vehicles.

“The explosion quickly scattered burning fragments all over the shop,” the post reads. “Fanned by a strong wind from the south, the fire spread quickly and completely destroyed a large number of park vehicles and the garage in which they were housed as well as machine, paint and top shops, and several homes with one being that of F. E. Kammermeyer, Transportation Superintendent. All were destroyed within an hour.”

According to the Preservation Trust, no fatalities occurred, and some mechanics who tried to save the garage and vehicles received only minor burns. The following vehicles were lost in the fire, totaling $500,000 in replacement costs: 22 White touring cars, 27 White TEB buses, 26 White model 15-45 buses, six trucks and several other vehicles that belonged to the Yellowstone Park Camping Company.

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Families were forced out of their homes after a fire broke out early Wednesday at an apartment complex in southeast Oklahoma City. Flames could be seen shooting out of the roof of a building at the complex near Southeast 44th Street and Sunnylane Road. Fire crews told KOCO 5 that at least eight apartments were involved, and at least two families are now without a home.

Authorities are working to determine how many people were inside the units when the fire started. “Initially we had a report from the on-scene security that the father said his daughter was missing, and we searched for her,” Battalion Chief Shane Williams said. “Did a primary and secondary (search) with negative results on both of them. We’re uncertain where she is at this time.” An investigation into what caused the fire is underway.

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VIDEO: The San Bernardino County Fire Department tested new technology on Monday designed to help suppress fires by using sound waves. The live demonstration, which was conducted with Sonic Fire Tech, showcased the cutting-edge system that was developed by former NASA acoustics engineers.

“This technology works without water or chemicals, creating a protective zone that can stop ignition in milliseconds while avoiding the collateral damage often seen with traditional suppression methods,” a news release from SBCoFD said. “From autonomous early detection to rapid suppression, tools like these have the potential to reduce fire damage before it starts, especially in wildfire-prone areas.”

Remington Hotchkis, the Chief Commercialization Officer for Sonic Fire Tech, said that all fires need oxygen to burn, and that their technology breaks it up instead of completely removing it, which could end up being dangerous.

“We vibrate the oxygen at a rate where fire can’t consume it, and it breaks the chemical reaction,” Hotchkis said. “We use infrasound, which are sound waves that are inaudible to the human ear.” Firefighters said that the technology can also be applied inside homes and businesses and could help stop fires like kitchen or appliance fires in their earliest stages.

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PHOTOS: Five homes were destroyed, and multiple people were displaced after a massive fire broke out in Pittsburgh’s Bloomfield neighborhood Sunday afternoon.

Allegheny County dispatchers first confirmed to Pittsburgh’s Action News 4 that officials were on the scene within the 4500 block of Penn Avenue following reports of a fire just before 4 p.m. The fire appeared to have broken out inside a home near Children’s Hospital.

Photos and videos from the scene showed large amounts of smoke and heavy flames. The assistant fire chief on scene said the fire was a 3-alarm and damaged at least five row houses connected to one another. It appeared construction was being done on at least one of the homes.

“You’ll notice the primary fire building, and you’ll notice the other buildings directly adjacent,” Assistant Fire Chief for the Pittsburgh Bureau of Fire, Brian Kokkila, said. “They’re touching, they’re physically touching. The wind and the rapid-fire development led to the expansion to five total buildings.”

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VIDEO: With the fires in western Nebraska over the past few weeks, much attention has been placed on the role of firefighters — both paid and volunteer. But a bill to change how they obtain compensation for job-related cancers stalled in the state’s Unicameral on Monday.

“Those fires are a vivid, painful reminder of what we are actually talking about when we debate this legislation,” said Fremont Sen. Dave Wordekemper, who introduced the legislation. “The men and women who answer the call, no matter the scope of the emergency.”

Nebraska’s 49 state senators spent three hours Monday morning debating LB 400, which would have changed the burden of proof for workers’ compensation when a firefighter gets cancer — presuming any cancer they’re diagnosed with is work-related until proven otherwise.

It wouldn’t have changed any eligibility for those firefighters, but would have moved the burden of proof to the employer. “Right now, a firefighter notifies their employer that they have cancer and has to prove it on their own, while sick, while fighting for their life, that the cancer came from the job,” Wordekemper said. “Right now, the deck is stacked against them.”

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PHOTOS: A boathouse fire in Lorton, Virginia, prompted a large response from Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department crews early Monday morning.

Firefighters were called to the 10700 block of Old Colchester Road, where they arrived to find a boathouse fully engulfed in flames, according to officials.

The fire had already spread beyond the structure, extending into nearby brush. Video released just before 3 a.m. by the department shows heavy flames and smoke pouring from the boathouse as firefighters worked the scene. No injuries have been reported. The cause of the fire remains under investigation.

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Firefighting foam containing toxic PFAS chemicals have contaminated drinking water across the country for decades. The so-called “forever chemicals” have been linked to serious health problems, including some cancers.

The state of New Jersey has partnered with the remediation company Revive Environmental to help fire departments and academies remove and destroy 150,000 gallons of the toxic foam. New Jersey is investing $16.6 million in state appropriations to fund the disposal of aqueous film forming foam, which it will ban in 2027.

“We [used to] use it in car accidents on the side of the road, and then it goes into a ditch on the road, which goes into the waterway and we have the potential to contaminate a lot of things — now we don’t have that potential,” said Rob Gancarz, fire chief of the Jacobstown Volunteer Fire Company.

PFAS, widely used in consumer products such as nonstick cookware and waterproof clothing, have been linked to serious health problems, including some cancers, thyroid disease, developmental delays in children and other health conditions.

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VIDEO: Two firefighters were injured while battling a fast-moving apartment fire that escalated to a second alarm, according to the Houston Fire Department. Crews arrived to find heavy fire and smoke coming from the building. The fire happened at 10501 Holly Springs Drive in Houston.

Footage of the heavy flames was posted to Facebook by Grizzy’s Hood News. As firefighters worked to contain the flames, conditions rapidly worsened, prompting officials to call for additional resources. During the response, a second-floor balcony collapsed, sending a captain and another firefighter to the ground. Both were injured in the fall.

The captain was transported to Memorial Hermann Memorial City Medical Center, while the firefighter was taken to Memorial Hermann – Texas Medical Center. Their conditions have not been publicly released. One civilian was treated at the scene for minor injuries, officials said.

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Four houses were destroyed in a fire in Atascosa County, according to authorities. Multiple agencies responded to the fire around 1:40 p.m. Thursday in the 100 block of Way Cross Road, near Old Pleasanton Road and just south of the Bexar-Atascosa county line.

As of Thursday afternoon, the Atascosa County Sheriff’s Office said the was contained. The four homes are considered a “total loss,” the sheriff’s office said. No injuries have been reported. Linda Andrews is one of the people who lost her home in the fire alongside her neighbor Robin Silva. “We have nothing but what we have on our bodies,” Andrews said. “We have alive people and alive dogs. That’s it.”

Atascosa County Fire Marshal Ronald Sanchez said seven vehicles were also destroyed. Sanchez believes the fire started as a grass fire, and he is investigating how it spread. Mark Montgomery, assistant fire chief of Bexar County Emergency Services District No. 2, said an estimated five to 10 acres were involved in the fire.

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Damages caused during the response to a 2023 Sussex County fire has state lawmakers considering additional penalties for intentionally harming first response vehicles. Several Sussex County fire companies had their windows shattered by thrown rocks as they responded to a blaze at the New Process Fibre Company in Greenwood.

Shortly after the incident, Bridgeville fire truck driver Brent Workman told WBOC they were in disbelief as they were approached the fire scene and realized their windshield had been cracked. “We go to help people, and something like that happens? Something is wrong with society today if you’re throwing rocks at a fire truck with its lights on.”

Ultimately, a 17-year-old was charged with 9 counts, including four of Criminal Mischief for damaging the Greenwood, Ellendale, Farmington, and Seaford fire trucks. The Criminal Mischief charges are at the focus of Senate Bill 232, introduced by State Sen. David Wilson (R-Milford), which looks to increase the potential penalties for creating more than $5,000 in damage to a fire, police, or other first response vehicle.

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VIDEO/PHOTOS: First responders were on the scene of a crash involving a Nashville Fire Department engine in Old Hickory Thursday afternoon. The crash happened around 4:15 p.m. Thursday in the area of Old Hickory Boulevard and Fields Drive.

A NFD spokesperson said the preliminary information indicates the firefighter driving the engine “experienced a medical episode” and lost control, hitting several telephone poles, parked cars and eventually a building. “He wasn’t swerving to miss any cars or anything,” nearby resident Jasmine Dotson, whose power went out because of the crash, told News 2.

“It just randomly happened.” The firefighter was brought to a local hospital for evaluation. Two people were also injured while they tried to move out of the way, but the NFD spokesperson said they declined transportation at the scene.

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