PHOTOS: A historic Cleveland church was destroyed early Friday morning after a massive fire. Before 2 a.m., the old Friendship Baptist Church at East 55th Street and Central Avenue went up in flames.

19 News crews were on the scene as nearly 60 firefighters responded. Flames engulfed the vacant church before the roof collapsed.

Cleveland Fire Lt. Mike Norman estimated the loss at about $500,000 and said that the building is “irreplaceable.” The church was first built back in the 1890s and has been abandoned for years. There have been no injuries reported.

Norman told 19 News that the cause is still under investigation. “Crews did a nice job protecting a building next door on the south side of E.55. It was unaffected by the inferno,” Cleveland Fire said.

WOIO-TV CBS 19 Cleveland

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VIDEO/PHOTOS: Three months after a deadly fire and explosion at a lumber mill in Searsmont, one Maine woman is providing first responders with comfort.

Althea Walker of Hartland donated 20 quilts Thursday to Searsmont firefighters. She says she wanted to take action after Assistant Fire Chief Wayne Woodbury died from his injuries, so she called on fellow quilt makers from Maine to Florida.

Officials in Searsmont say the donation demonstrates just how strong the community is. “It was one of those experiences that I probably will never forget because so many people wanted to let the people who responded that day know that even though they don’t know our name, we’re out there, and that we love them, and we’re hoping these help them heal,” Walker said.

Searsmont Fire and Rescue Chief James Ames says the quilts will serve as a reminder of that support. “I’m going to put my quilt beside my recliner where I sit. Our community’s always been fairly close, always helping one another. I think that will always continue,” Ames said.

WGME-TV CBS 13 Portland

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Two firefighters were injured while crews battled a blaze near the campus of Jackson State University, according to the Jackson Fire Department.

Jackson Fire Department units responded to Florence and Rosemont Avenues, at approximately 3:28 a.m. for a report of two vacant, abandoned structures on fire.

Six houses were engulfed in flames when they arrived, and five of those homes were destroyed.

During suppression of the fire, two firefighters were injured. One sustained a burn to the leg, and the other experienced dehydration. Both firefighters have been treated, released, and are expected to make a full recovery.

WLBT crews were on the scene around 4 a.m. and witnessed flames shooting high into the air, along with smoke and debris, with multiple fire crews working.

After the fire was brought under control, a fire investigator was requested. JFD says that the fire will be classified as ‘incendiary’ and is believed to have been caused by some type of human involvement.

WLBT-TV NBC 3 Jackson

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In today’s fire service environment, apparatus availability is more critical than ever. Fire departments rely on increasingly complex fleets made up of engines, ladder trucks, medic units, tankers, and specialty apparatus that must remain operational around the clock. While preventive maintenance programs and scheduled inspections help improve reliability, emergency breakdowns unfortunately still occur—usually at the […]

The post Apparatus: the Shops, After-Hours Emergency Repairs and Managing a Reserve Fleet During Peak Demand appeared first on Fire Apparatus: Fire trucks, fire engines, emergency vehicles, and firefighting equipment.

Efforts to contain Whatcom County’s largest wildfire saw some more progress this week. The Border 2 Fire is burning across just over 17,000 acres northeast of Ross Lake as of Thursday, Aug. 20. The majority of the blaze is in Canada, while nearly 7,300 acres are in the U.S. According to the National Interagency Fire Center, it’s now 43% contained.

Just west of Ross Lake, the Luna Fire has seen minor growth, now burning roughly 4,500 acres with still no containment. Neither fire is expected to be fully contained until November. Much of the state’s resources are still going towards several larger blazes in Chelan and Okanogan counties.

My Bellingham Now

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