PHOTOS: A fire broke out at Ferrucci Junior High School in Puyallup Saturday morning, according to Central Pierce Fire and Rescue. Authorities said a backup battery system short-circuited and melted in a small electrical room in the campus’s new wing. Fire marshals are still investigating what caused the battery failure. No one was inside the school at the time of the fire. Fire alarms and the school’s sprinkler system were promptly activated, preventing the fire from spreading further, officials said.

“That room could’ve completely caught fire, but the sprinkler head did its job, and the alarm activated us early,” District Chief Ron Kent said. “All of the systems worked as designed.” Kent said black smoke fills the nearby hallway, and the sprinklers also caused water damage. Puyallup School District officials confirm at least two classrooms are impacted. The wing has a total of 11 classrooms.

KOMO-TV ABC 4 Seattle

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Spokane County Fire District 9 firefighters traded their usual cat-in-tree rescue for something much larger Thursday when they helped free a 200-pound dog trapped in a creek. Riley, a 12-year-old Leonberger, found himself stuck in a ditch on his owner’s property after what appeared to be an investigation of sounds near a pond went wrong.

“He means everything to me. We have done anything and everything for this dog,” said Rosa McGuire, Riley’s owner. McGuire let Riley outside Thursday morning as part of their usual routine. When she checked on him hours later, the gentle giant had vanished.

“He must’ve heard something going on down towards the pond…and what I think he did is he started walking the creek up and he got to the point where he couldn’t get out,” McGuire said. The family attempted their own rescue mission, trying to lift Riley using a toboggan and even a tow truck winch, but the steep creek bank proved too challenging for the nearly 200-pound dog. That’s when they called Fire District 9 for assistance.

KAYU-TV FOX 28 Spokane

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Wisconsin has enacted legislation allowing fire departments to use state grants for soybean-based fire suppressants.

The post WI Soybean-Based Fire Suppressant Legislation Signed Into Law appeared first on Fire Apparatus: Fire trucks, fire engines, emergency vehicles, and firefighting equipment.

The chief and assistant chief of the Walnuttown Fire Company were killed in a crash while searching for a missing woman.

The post Two PA Chiefs Killed in Crash During Search Operation appeared first on Fire Apparatus: Fire trucks, fire engines, emergency vehicles, and firefighting equipment.

Facing surging call volume in growing areas like Stonebridge Crossing and a steep decline in volunteers, Cheshire officials warn a costly new north-end fire station may soon be unavoidable.

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