Groton City Council will vote on $6 million in building and firehouse repairs.

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Rescue Intellitech launched The Decon Exchange, a podcast addressing firefighter cancer risks, exposure to toxic contaminants, and efforts to improve safety and reduce carcinogen exposure.

The post Rescue Intellitech Launches The Decon Exchange, a New Monthly Video Podcast Focused on Firefighter Cancer and Safety appeared first on Fire Apparatus: Fire trucks, fire engines, emergency vehicles, and firefighting equipment.

VIDEOS: A sight of smoke rising from the East Bay hills Tuesday alarmed some residents as it came on the anniversary of the deadly 1991 Oakland firestorm.

Emergency calls came in around 11:45 a.m. reporting a fire burning near homes in the 1000 block of Panoramic Way along the Oakland-Berkeley border, triggering a large emergency response.

Crews from the Oakland Fire Department, Berkeley Fire Department and Cal Fire responded. Fire officials said the blaze spread slowly, allowing firefighters to quickly establish defensive lines.

Two homes were threatened by the flames. One sustained partial fire damage before firefighters stopped the fire’s advance.

No injuries were reported. However, fire officials said the incident could have become a major incident if weather conditions had been worse. White smoke from the fire was visible from as far away as San Francisco.

KTVU-TV FOX 2 Oakland

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VIDEO/PHOTO: An old fire truck parked at Thendara Automotive is drawing attention for its unique place in North Country history.

The truck, known as the Blitz Buggy, changed the way fire trucks were built when it was introduced.

Kate Lewis, director of the Town of Webb Historical Association, said, “Four Wheel Drive, there’s something to do with the pump; it turns right on, you don’t have to wait to prime anything else.”

The Blitz Buggy’s story began in the early 1940s when local mechanic W. Lewis Armstrong started Army’s Fire Service.

Armstrong later worked with other local businessmen to build the Blitz Buggy.

“He went into business with the Burdicks, and they asked the Brussels to manufacture the trucks. Each one is different because they were built to the specification of the company,” Lewis said.

Only 50 Blitz Buggy trucks were made in Thendara, including Truck 4, which was built in 1959 and later sold to a collector.

WKTV NBC/CBS 2 Utica

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A late-night apartment fire in Plano sent one man to the hospital. Police believe the fire was intentionally set and have a person of interest in custody.

The fire started around midnight at the Villas at Chase Oaks apartments, located off Legacy Drive just west of Central Expressway.

First responders rescued a man from a second-story balcony after residents heard him yelling for help. Paramedics took the man to the hospital with minor injuries, and no one else was hurt.

A roof collapsed onto firefighters during the incident, but none of them were injured, officials said. Officials say 10 units inside the building are uninhabitable because of the damage.

A fire department spokesperson said officials believe the fire was arson. Police have one person in custody as they investigate.

Apartment management and the Red Cross are helping displaced residents find temporary housing. Fire and police officials have not released details on why they believe the fire was deliberately set or how it started.

Officials also have not confirmed exactly how many people the fire displaced.

KDFW-TV FOX 4 Dallas

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