The Terre Haute Fire Department's new Ladder 8, costing nearly $2 million, was placed into service, highlighting ongoing efforts to upgrade fire apparatus amid national manufacturing delays.

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The Lebanon Fire Department has added a new fire truck after four years of delays due to supply chain issues. The truck replaces a 36-year-old engine and addresses the town's lack of hydrants.

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The Town of Niagara Active Hose Fire Company will receive a $2 million grant for a new ladder truck, addressing safety concerns for the new Amazon building, which exceeds the reach of their current truck.

The post Niagara (NY) Receives Grant for New Apparatus appeared first on Fire Apparatus: Fire trucks, fire engines, emergency vehicles, and firefighting equipment.

VIDEO: Just over a week before the Fourth of July, a house in Whidbey Island’s Lagoon Point neighborhood near Greenbank exploded Wednesday afternoon when a cigarette is believed to have ignited approximately 700 pounds of fireworks stored inside. The blast occurred just before 4 p.m. The ensuing fire destroyed a neighboring home and damaged a third. Debris was found hundreds of feet away, and the explosions continued for hours.

“It was like a war zone at first,” said neighbor Tom Selvidge. “Windows shook. A couple pictures came off the wall inside,” added Chris Tincher. “My wife thought it was an earthquake.” Three firefighters were injured. The most seriously hurt was a firefighter who was 20 feet from one of the blasts while trying to hook a hose to a hydrant. He may lose a finger.

“If the guys had been standing in a spot a second later or a second earlier, we probably would have all three of them down at Harborview right now,” Central Whidbey Island Fire and Rescue Chief Jerry Helm said. Neighbor Tanya Hernandez’s home was damaged but still standing.

KING-TV NBC 5 Seattle

The post “Follow-up:” Cigarette may have started fireworks blast that injured firefighters, destroyed Whidbey Island homes appeared first on Daily Dispatch.

Approximately 700 pounds of fireworks detonated on Whidbey Island in Greenbank on Wednesday afternoon, destroying two homes and damaging a third.

Five people, including three firefighters and two residents, were injured in the incident, though all are expected to recover.

Chief Jerry Helm with Central Whidbey Island Fire and Rescue said, “I believe it was a significant amount…probably in the 700 pound range…enough to fill a pallet.”

Fire officials reported multiple explosions, one of which caused injuries to the firefighters.

Of the five injured individuals, two firefighters have been released from the hospital. A third firefighter is undergoing hand surgery.

The two residents of the home where the fire started drove themselves to the hospital.

All five people are expected to recover from their injuries. Investigators believe smoking materials were around the fireworks in question. Helm also stated, “I believe this person was buying fireworks for an event they were doing.”

KIRO-TV CBS 7 Seattle

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