Fatal 5-alarm fire on the 36th floor: One person is dead and 11 others injured, including two firefighters, in an overnight fire in a 44-story Chicago building. Two people were rescued from the roof. This building was the scene of a fire eight years ago that killed one resident, injured eight firefighters and opened the debate on retrofitting sprinklers in high-rise buildings (Read one firefighter’s story from the January 2002 fire). About one-third of the city’s firefighting force was on the scene of the fire. The picture above is from Chris Sweda of the Chicago Tribune. Click here for more pictures and more pictures here. Click here to read the story. Watch video from WBBM-TV. More video from WGN-TV.
It’s 11:00 PM, do you know where your firefighters are?: In Raceland, Kentucky we can tell you where they aren’t and that’s the firehouse. Firefighters are quite upset over the town’s order that no one can be in the fire station after 11:00 PM. The town’s leaders instituted the curfew after concerns about firefighters “loafing” and young people congregating at the firehouse. You will want to read this story.
Fatal fire near closed truck company puts the focus on rotating closures: Baltimore City Fire Chief Jim Clack makes it clear that it took twice as long to get a truck company to a fatal fire Wednesday morning because of rotating closures. The chief wants the policy to end but needs the money to do so. As we reported yesterday, a discussion of doing just that had occurred among city leaders hours before that fire broke out. Now there is a new urgency to deal with this matter. The Baltimore Sun has a detailed story on the efforts to change the policy.
DC medical director named in $17 million lawsuit: The family of a Northeast Washington man has filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the District of Columbia and the DC Fire & EMS Department’s medical director, Dr. James Augustine. This was the case where relatives say Edward Givens died six hours after being told by a medic all he needs is some Pepto Bismol. Dr. Augustine announced he was leaving the department 10-days ago due to health issues. Read more in Matt Cella’s article in The Washington Times.
He wanted the picture for his son: That’s what a Winnipeg firefighter wrote to the newspaper that ran the picture of the firefighter posing in front of a burning house. The firefighter, and another firefighter who took the picture with a cell phone, are under investigation. Read parts of the letter.
Firefighters want cross back on fire department’s hose tower that’s been part of Christmas celebration for nearly 70-years: Another Massachusetts fire department is trying to fight regulations on holiday decorations. This time a cross on a hose tower is the issue. It was ordered removed in 2005 and the firefighters want it back. Read the story from Holliston.
NJ firehouse shut: The Delaview VFC has been ordered closed by Pennsauken Fire Chief Benjamin Patti over procedures that haven’t been complied with involving accounting for public funds. Read the story here and here.
