Firefighters in Spokane Valley are warning residents about the dangers of weed burners after responding to multiple fires in recent weeks that brought flames dangerously close to homes, according to the Spokane Valley Fire Department. In one incident, flames reached 10 to 12 feet high and came within feet of a house and attached garage, fire officials said. Another backyard burn spread quickly to a fence line and nearby trees, growing to nearly 20 feet wide before firefighters brought it under control. A separate case escalated when an exterior fire spread into a structure, according to the department. No injuries occurred in any of the incidents, and crews prevented structural losses, fire officials said.

“Weed burners might seem like a quick fix, but they can spark a fast-moving fire in seconds, especially near dry grass, shrubbery or bushes, fences, or nearby structures,” said SVFD Assistant Fire Marshal Abraham Nisbet. “What starts small can quickly get out of control and threaten lives and property.”

Open burning of rubbish and yard waste is strictly prohibited in all Spokane Valley Fire Department response areas, including Spokane Valley, Millwood, Otis Orchards, Greenacres, and Liberty Lake, according to the department. Officials recommend safer alternatives including pulling weeds by hand, using a string trimmer or mower, or applying residential-approved herbicides.

KAYU-TV FOX 28 Spokane

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A family was able to escape as a fire tore through a home in Bridgewater Friday morning. The fire is on Crescent Street, just behind the police department. According to officials, three people were inside the home when the fire broke out, but a quick-thinking bystander spotted the flames, called 911, and a police officer rushed in to get everyone out safely.

Thick smoke could be seen billowing from blocks away as firefighters from multiple departments worked to contain the blaze. The roof has completely collapsed, debris is scattered across the property, and crews are using a tractor to clear the wreckage.

At least two ladder trucks remain raised over the home as firefighters continue to knock down hot spots. When crews first arrived, the roof and several cars in the front yard were already engulfed in flames. The chief also confirmed that gas tanks inside the garage exploded during the fire, which explains the loud boom heard by nearby residents. There are no injuries to report, and the cause of the fire remains under investigation.

WFXT-TV FOX 25 Boston

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VIDEO: Technology aimed at keeping fans from across the globe safe is being deployed ahead of the FIFA World Cup. As Atlanta prepares to host one of the biggest events in the world, no matter if you’re on an iPhone, an Android, or any other phone, Atlanta’s 911 center can use your device to not only track you but to get to you faster.

“This is really going to be a game changer,” E-911 Executive Director Desiree Arnold said. With a surge of visitors expected for the World Cup, Atlanta’s E-911 center is launching new technology to speed up emergency response. The system called Rapid SOS also breaks language barriers.

“It’s detecting the language in Uzbeck, and it’s translating in English, and then we’ll type back in English, and it will detect we’re speaking in English,” Arnold told Channel 2’s Brittany Kleinpeter as she showed her how the program works.

And it does more than translate. It pinpoints exact locations. Right now, 911 operators get approximate locations. But the new system shows exact coordinates, helping first responders get to you faster.

WSB-TV ABC 2 Atlanta

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VIDEO: An attack on four EMTs inside a Bronx apartment building has left the first responders injured and a suspect in custody Friday morning.

The assault happened just after 10 p.m. Thursday on the seventh floor of an apartment building along Sedgwick Avenue in the Morris Heights section of the Bronx.

The EMTs were responding to a call involving a resident of the building when they were attacked in the hallway. Cleanup crews were seen inside the building overnight, clearing shards of broken glass scattered across the floor.

Police say there was also blood on the hallway floor and walls. According to authorities, the EMTs were assaulted by a 22-year-old resident when they arrived on the seventh floor. The reason for the attack is still under investigation.

A 32-year-old EMT suffered a laceration to the head, while a 20-year-old EMT was treated for injuries to the face. Both were taken to the hospital in stable condition. Two other EMTs also sustained minor injuries.

WABC-TV ABC 7 New York City

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An early evening fire at Packaging Corporation of America in the Horn Rapids area led to the evacuation of the building on April 8. Richland Fire Battalion Chief Adam Hardgrove said crews were called to the plant in the 3000 block of Kingsgate after debris such as wood chips and dust caught fire inside an EVOL series box-making machine. Firefighters arrived to find the fire burning beneath the machine’s vacuum belt. Crew controlled the fire within one hour. No one was hurt. The cause of the fire remains undetermined. Operations resumed after fire crews cleared the scene.

KNDO-TV NBC 23 Yakima

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