VIDEO/PHOTOS: Wellston’s historic fire engine, Engine 48, has been restored after decades of service and will now be used for community events.

The city of Wellston has seen major changes since 1948, but one constant has been Engine 48.

“It served from that point, from, you know, from the late 40s, early 50s all the way up until the late 90s or, I’m sorry, late 80s, early 90s. And then it was retired,” said Chief Todd Beesley of the Wellston Fire Department.

Beesley, who became fire chief in 2021, wanted to continue the engine’s legacy in Wellston.

“I always thought, you know, it’d be so cool if we could get this thing restored. But I just knew, you know, we didn’t have the budget for it,” Beesley said.

An old high school classmate of Beesley, who teaches automotive classes at Francis Tuttle Technology Center, stepped in to help.

“He come out and looked at the truck and gave us a quote to pay for the materials since it was a school project,” Beesley said.

The fire department began fundraising, and with the help of generous donations, the restoration was completed.

Following its unveiling at an open house, Beesley said the truck will be used for community events.

“It’ll be a parade, a parade truck. But, you know, long-term goal would be to be able to display it somewhere in town,” Beesley said.

For now, the truck will be stored at an old feed store before finding a permanent home in town along Route 66.

KOCO-TV ABC 5 Oklahoma City

The post Oklahoma fire engine restored after decades of service appeared first on Daily Dispatch.

The sound is hard to forget for neighbors at Elk Lake in Clinton Township near Waymart.

“All of a sudden, we heard an explosion. The whole house shook. We thought our house blew up. I’m not kidding. It was this loud rumble, stuff fell off the walls,” said Katie Firmstone, victim’s family.

Troopers say a powerful explosion and then another happened along Sensentine Road around 10 a.m. Thursday.

The force was so strong it completely leveled two homes. Officials believe a gas leak ignited, causing two other propane tanks to explode.

John Warden lives across the street and was on the porch when he felt what happened. “The jets of the propane kicking fire against the house when that happened. The second house caught on fire, and there was a second explosion,” he said.

Neighbors like Katie Firmstone immediately rushing to help. One neighbor even carrying a person from the home.

“It’s your natural reaction, and he was actually a fireman in New York, so I’m sure he’s working on instinct,” said Firmstone.

WNEP-TV ABC 16 Scranton

The post VIDEOS: Neighbors in disbelief after explosion injures 3, destroys multiple homes in Pennsylvania appeared first on Daily Dispatch.

A large warehouse caught fire in Ballard on Thursday evening, leading to a response of over 100 firefighters, according to the Seattle Fire Department. Officials said the fire happened at a commercial warehouse in the 800 block of Northwest 42nd Street. Firefighters sprayed water on the fire from outside the building.

Seattle fire said the fire was under control just before 8 p.m. Fire crews remained on scene to monitor for any potential flare ups. Seattle fire confirmed the building’s roof collapsed amid the blaze. The fire did not spread to any surrounding buildings, the department said. One firefighter suffered minor injuries.

KREM-TV CBS 2 Spokane

The post Over 100 firefighters battle large commercial warehouse fire in Ballard appeared first on Daily Dispatch.

Fire crews responded to a residential fire shortly after midnight Wednesday in the 3000 block of Northwest 59th Street in Seattle. When firefighters arrived, they found flames burning in a single-family home. Crews battled the fire from both inside and outside the residence while working to contain the blaze.

The Seattle Fire Department said the home was a one-story structure with a basement. Firefighters completed primary and secondary searches of the residence and confirmed no injuries were reported. After bringing the fire under control, crews checked for flames spreading into other areas of the home and conducted overhaul operations. Firefighters also ventilated the structure before the fire was fully extinguished.

Investigators determined the fire was accidental. According to fire officials, a container holding hot embers likely ignited a pile of wood outside the home. The flames then spread to the exterior of the residence before moving inside.The estimated damage from the fire is $500,000.

KING-TV NBC 5 Seattle

The post Accidental Seattle house fire causes $500K in damage appeared first on Daily Dispatch.

Sheriff Mike Clark and Deputy Ortega with the Benton County Sheriff’s Office helped rescue a baby deer along Highway 240 by Columbia Park after it became separated from its mother and sibling near traffic today. Sheriff Clark spotted the fawn while returning from a regional law enforcement meeting.

The sheriff’s office said the animal was stuck on the highway side of a fence while its mother and twin sibling stayed safely on the other side. Clark pulled over to protect the fawn. Deputy Ortega then arrived to help keep the animal from running into the road. The rescue became a group effort when a passerby stopped to help, the sheriff’s office reported.

Using a blanket from the citizen, Clark safely caught the fawn and lifted it over the fence so it could reunite with its family. The Benton County Sheriff’s Office thanked Deputy Ortega and community members Alexandria and Lisa Goforth for helping with the rescue.

KNDO-TV NBC 23 Yakima

The post Fawn rescued along Highway 240 near Kennewick’s Columbia Park appeared first on Daily Dispatch.