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One building, two second-alarms in Detroit: The video above is from Sunday morning and the second time the Detroit Fire Department sounded the second-alarm for a fire in this building at 13300 Joseph Campau Street. Click here for the video from Saturday during the first round. There are still pictures from Dennis Walus here and here.
Two homeless men indicted in firefighter’s death: An interesting story from Elizabeth, New Jersey. You may recall the tragic story of Gary Stephens, a 28-year veteran, who was the first line of duty death in the nation for this year. Firefighter Stephens was run over by a pumper as he guided it into position at a house fire on January 2. Two homeless men who had set a warming fire in the building have now been indicted by a Union County grand jury for murder, arson and burglary. Read the story.
Firefighter’s day off trip to Red Sox game didn’t quite work out as planned: 41-year-old Kevin Carter is a 20-year veteran of the North Reading, Massachusetts Fire Department. Armed with a pair of free Red Sox tickets on a day-off, Carter and his brother were headed to the game by subway. Unfortunately they were on the Green Line trolley that was rammed from behind (the one where the trolley operator admits to texting while at the controls). Carter is being praised for his actions in helping many of the 49 people who were injured, including his brother. They both spent the evening in the hospital instead of at Fenway. Read the article (let’s hope someone in the Red Sox front office has also read the article).
The story behind the injuries to three firefighters on the front lines in California: We told you last week that three Ventura County firefighters were hurt fighting the fire spreading through Santa Barbara. Click here to watch a compelling story about a captain who rescued two colleagues trapped by the fast moving flames.
Command Post: Maybe that should be the title for a new TV drama. Not sure how exciting it would be, but a local paper in Santa Barbara profiles the command post and the city that has popped up around it at the Earl Warren Showgrounds to handle the firefighting operation. Click here for the article.
He Twitters while Santa Barbara burns: One of the people we have been following on Twitter is Clayton “CJ” Bowyer. CJamz stream of tweets kept a lot of people informed in and around Santa Barbara as property burned. The Los Angeles Times takes note of CJamz accomplishments.
Making the rescue after setting the fire: That’s part of the accusation against three young West Virginia firefighters after a fire was started in a building across from their firehouse. Read and watch the story.
Double fatal fire brings up staffing issues: Did recent cutbacks in Marion, Ohio make it more difficult to handle a fire on Friday that killed two children? That question is being asked. Click to read what is known so far.
Going from two fire stations to one: That’s a real possibility in Johnson City, New York after budget cutting. Click here for some very unclear answers.
Old creamery turned house becomes fire trap for two kids: The children died on Saturday in Exeter Township, Pennsylvania. Click here for pictures, video and details.
Burning skin and trouble breathing for firefighters: Turned out to be from the chlorine in a shed that was burning. Six San Antonio firefighters were treated. Read the details.
Cleared in prostitution case, fire captain is fighting to get back his job: It may not be that easy for Darren Bates. Yes, the former Omaha union president and captain was found not guilty after being caught up in a prostitution sting. But the fire department is making the case that Bates was also AWOL after his arrest. Read details following the verdict. A Sunday interview with Bates explains where he was when the fire department said he was AWOL. Click here.
Videos from MA, PA & NJ: We have some new videos for you. A two-alarm house fire in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, a house fire in Glen Ridge, New Jersey and a house fire in Hull, Massachusetts.
It ain’t over until its over: The District of Columbia government was notified last week that it lost another round in the beard case involving firefighters and medics. But is this the end of the legal battle? Click here for some answers.
MD gas leak investigation continues: While the gas company is hinting that a third party could be involved in the leak that lead to Thursday’s explosion at the Penn Mar Shopping Center in Forestville, Maryland, no definitive conclusions have been announced. Click here for the latest along with links to our earlier coverage.
Geezer has a few: Check out Firegeezer for stories from the weekend including a Milwaukee newspaper’s look at the lac
k of minority hiring in the suburbs, a pipeline that went boom in Moscow and a police car and a train trying to occupy the same piece of real estate.
Speaking of train and car collisions: On Friday afternoon in Montgomery County, Maryland, a commuter train hit a car with a pregnant woman at the wheel. Despite the crash, Camile Valencia pent Mother’s Day at home with her family. As part of my TV duties on Sunday I interviewed Valencia. Nothing earth shaking other than a nice story with a happy ending for a change. Click here to watch it.
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Roof operations in Houston: This is the only description with the video- HFD House fire 05/08/09. Video of ladder 31 D shift cutting a hole.
