One person died and four firefighters were injured when a Columbia Fire Department apparatus and a passenger car collided Saturday, July 12, 2025, abccolumbia.com reported.

According to a fire official, the fire apparatus was heading to a house after lightning set it on fire.

The South Carolina Highway Patrol reported that the fire truck had its lights and sirens on at the time of the accident.

The passenger of the sedan died at the scene and another person in the car was reported injured, the report said. The four firefighters who were injured have been released from the hospital, according to the report.

The Richland Coroner’s Office has not yet released the name of the person who died and the accident remains under investigation by the South Carolina Highway Patrol, the report said.

The Columbia Fire Department made the following post on Facebook:

“Our department and its members are mourning with the community following a deadly collision yesterday that involved one of our fire trucks.

“The collision occurred Saturday evening on Two Notch Road near Decker Boulevard. At the time of the crash the fire truck involved was responding to what was a 2-Alarm structure fire involving multiple homes. While going towards the scene the fire truck was involved in a collision with another vehicle.

“As a result of the crash one person in the other vehicle was killed and a second person in the car was injured. The four firefighters riding in the fire truck were taken to the hospital to be assessed for injuries. Since that time all have been released and are back home recovering.

“At this time the South Carolina Highway Patrol is investigating the collision and the Richland County Coroners Office is also involved. Our department will also conduct an internal investigation on the accident, which is standard procedure following any collision involving our fire trucks.

“Our hearts go out to all who were involved in this terrible accident. At this time we ask the community for its prayers and support for the family and loved ones of the deceased, our firefighters who were involved in the crash, our department and its members and all who have been affected by this tragedy.”

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Alison Cross
The Day, New London, Conn.
(TNS)

Plainfield — Construction on a new headquarters for Plainfield Fire Company #1 could start this winter after the Planning and Zoning Commission approved a special permit to build the facility at the site of the former St. John’s Catholic School on Railroad Avenue.

On Tuesday night, commission members unanimously approved plans for the 17,716-square-foot station, which will be situated on 2.9 acres at 12 Railroad Ave.

Fire Chief Travis Irons said the department has outgrown its existing 6,000-square-foot firehouse at 620 Norwich Road. Irons added that the facility, which opened in 1968 and was last renovated in 2000, fails to meet industry health and safety standards — including decontamination zones and a separate storage space for turnout gear — which help reduce the risk of exposure to carcinogens. The current station also lacks a sprinkler system and proper air conditioning and ventilation.

“Looking at the growth of our community, it’s expanding. More people are moving to town, more companies are moving to town and building large facilities,” Irons said. “The overarching goal here is to put a facility in place that’s going to be safe and healthy and future-proof the public safety needs of the Plainfield Fire District for the next 50 years.”

In a presentation to the commission last month, architect Brian Humes said the current station is “insufficient for modern firefighting equipment.” He said the new facility will include room for a training classroom and seven bays for fire trucks and auxiliary vehicles, with the main entrance on Railroad Avenue and a secondary entrance-exit on Windsor Avenue.

A two-minute drive from a previous location, Humes stressed the new station will have no impact on response times and ISO fire ratings.

“Shifting the facility 0.4 miles is not impacting their response times in any significant way within their response area,” Humes said.

Irons said the fire district is finalizing a $18.7 million loan, which will cover construction costs, contingency funding, and other project expenses.

Irons said the fire district began exploring options for a new firehouse in 2019 after a space-needs assessment found that the current station would not be able to sustain the fire company’s operations over the next 50 years.

In 2023, the fire district purchased the site of the former St. John’s Catholic School from the St. Andre Bessette Parish for $300,000. The school closed in 2009 and was demolished after the purchase. The fire district participated in a farewell ceremony with the community and offered tours to alumni and the public before it was torn down.

Irons said taxpayers in the fire district voted to move the construction project forward last year.

After opening the bid process this fall, Irons said he expects construction to begin this winter or next spring at the latest. Work will likely take between 16 and 18 months to complete. Once finished, Irons said, the department will move out of its current location. He said local businesses have already expressed interest in purchasing the property.

a.cross@theday.com

© 2025 The Day (New London, Conn.). Visit www.theday.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

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Jenna Wilson
St. Joseph News-Press, Mo.
(TNS)

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (News-Press NOW) — Demolition has begun on a Downtown building that has stood vacant for more than three decades.

The building, located between 408-412 South Eighth Street and adjacent to the St. Joseph Fire Department, is being torn down to make way for an expansion of the fire station’s headquarters.

The St. Joseph Fire Department is working in collaboration with the Environmental Protection Agency, Environmental Works Inc., and Cornelius Wrecking on the project.

“The plan is to renovate headquarters with our CIP tax funds in 2028-2029 and this plan includes a parking lot for our staff,” said Jamey McVicker, SJFD assistant fire chief. “We’d also like to add a drive-through bay at headquarters so we’re not backing a $2 million truck into the station. We’re thinking ahead and trying to make that happen with this space.”

Fire officials said Downtown residents are excited to see the building come down. It has stood in its original location for nearly 40 years, and revitalizing this part of town is important to the community.

This is one of several projects the fire department has on its agenda this year, including the new Fire Station 10 planned for the South end, aimed at providing a more reliable work environment and ultimately enhancing public safety.

“There’s a lot we’ve been working on within the fire department and now some of those efforts are finally coming to fruition,” said Ivan Klippenstein, St. Joseph fire chief. “We’re making progress on Fire Station 10, we’ll soon receive Ladder 5, which has been in development for several years for the Frederick station and Rescue 10 will also be replaced in the south end. These are all in the works and will begin happening very soon.

© 2025 the St. Joseph News-Press (St. Joseph, Mo.). Visit www.newspressnow.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

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The city of Port Wentworth officially opened its brand-new fire headquarters with a ribbon cutting ceremony, the city announced Friday, July 11, 2025, in a Facebook post.

City leadership, mayor and council members, Chief Lance Moore, and residents and business partners joined together to celebrate this step in public safety.

City Manager Steve Davis shared, “With an expanding population comes an obligation to keep our residents safe—and we take this seriously. Today is also a chance to honor the brave firefighters who protect us day in and day out.”

Construction began in April 2024—and now, just over a year later, the 18,000-square-foot station is fully operational. The headquarters features four bays, on-site training classroom, emergency operations center, 24/7 full-time and part-time fire personnel.

Moore added, “This station isn’t just a building—it’s a promise. A reflection of years of support from our community, leadership, and partners. We’re more equipped than ever to protect and respond.”

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Cheryl Schweizer
Columbia Basin Herald, Moses Lake, Wash.
(TNS)

Jul. 12—QUINCY — A new rescue rig went into service at Grant County Fire District 3 on July 10. Chief David Durfee said it replaces a rescue truck that was reaching the end of its service life.

“It’s a rescue truck that houses all of our extrication tools for motor vehicle accidents, our specialty tech equipment and our rescue equipment. There are some added storage compartments and added lights,” he said.

The truck cost about $301,000, Durfee said, purchased with district funds. It’s a brand-new truck; typically, new trucks are built from scratch, which was the case with the new rescue rig. District commissioners awarded the contract in April 2024, he said, and GCFD 3 personnel traveled to Mississippi in mid-June to pick it up from the manufacturer.

Deep South Fire Trucks, Seminary, Mississippi, built the truck.

There’s a lot of farmland and sagebrush in GCFD 3, but there are also extensive areas for climbing and hiking, Interstate 90 and State Route 28, camping areas and performance venues.

“We have motor vehicle accidents, climbing incidents, rescues off the trail system we have here, you name it,” Durfee said. “It gets used pretty often. It’s four-wheel drive, so it has capabilities that allow us to assist with rescues and other things.”

The new truck has updated communications systems, he said, and a heavy-duty wench that will make rescues easier.

Typically, GCFD 3 rescue rigs are yellow, but the new truck is fire-engine red. Durfee said that was a choice that reflects GCFD 3’s goal to work together and with its contracted partners. The district provides fire services to the city of Quincy, a relationship that stretches back more than 50 years, Durfee said.

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“The reason for switching to the red scheme from yellow is to be unified with all our apparatus,” Durfee said. “Currently, we have (different colors), so the commissioners made the decision to stay unified with one color.”

Fire District 3 received a grant that will pay for a new water tender, which is a tanker used to fill trucks on fire scenes that don’t have water nearby. District personnel will be going back to Deep South Fire Trucks to pick it up later this week, Durfee said.

© 2025 the Columbia Basin Herald, Wash.. Visit www.columbiabasinherald.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

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