Menu

WFC News

Posted: Nov 1, 2016

Fire Engine Crash Leaves Five Injured

A dramatic Back Bay fire engine crash injured four firefighters and a civilian while crushing a Jeep, damaging eight other cars and even plowing down a tree and turning a sidewalk to rubble.“It’s shocking,” said Lisa Simmons, whose Saab was one of nine parked cars damaged in a domino effect on Commonwealth Avenue.
The fire truck, which was responding to a report of smoke at 1120 Boylston St., was traveling west on Commonwealth Avenue at 11:26 a.m. when it collided with a Chevrolet Equinox heading north on Dartmouth Street, Fire Commissioner Joseph Finn said.

Neither Boston police nor Finn could say who had the light at the time, even though a police camera is on the corner where the crash took place. But the fire truck had its siren and lights on, Finn said.

The truck then swerved onto the sidewalk, mowed down a tree and smashed into a parked Jeep, nearly obliterating it, and causing the chain reaction that left eight other parked cars damaged as well, said Steve MacDonald, a fire department spokesman.

The driver of the SUV the fire truck initially collided with and four firefighters, including a fire captain, all were taken to Massachusetts General Hospital, where they were treated for non-life-threatening injuries, Finn said.

Even parts of the sidewalk underneath the fire engine were reduced to rubble, and heavy equipment had to be brought in to lift the truck off one of the parked cars.

Kaitlin Stratton, a Bay State College sophomore, had just parked on Commonwealth Avenue with her parents when the crash occurred.

“I heard the siren coming from behind,” she said. “I felt the ground shaking. I heard my dad yelling to the SUV, ‘Stop! Stop! Stop! But it was too late.”

Read more
Posted: Nov 1, 2016

Middleway (WV) Fire Department Donates Truck to James Rumsey Technical Institute

By Shaheed Morris | smorris@whag.com Published 10/31 2016 07:43PM Updated 10/31 2016 07:43PM The Middleway Fire Department donated a 1991 KME to the James Rumsey Technical Institute on Monday, replacing two of the institute's old fire trucks. "The students were very, very exited," said Principal Donna Van Metre.
“To be able to get a new piece of equipment that is functioning completely.”  
 
During the ceremony early Monday, Middleway Fire Department officials received a plaque for the donation. The donated truck was in service last week.
 
The institute prepares students for careers in fighting fires and as paramedics.  Student Chaz Vangilder was excited to see a new fire truck.
 
“I think it’s awesome getting a new fire truck here,” Vangilder said. “So this class and classes soon-to-be will get the hands-on training for the fighting job.”
 
Instructor Steven Harris, who is just starting his fourth month at the institute as a faculty member, said the donated truck will play a big role in students’ success.
 
 “It’s going to help the students immensely in achieving their certifications. We had two trucks that didn’t operate fully.”
 
Read more
Posted: Nov 1, 2016

Vintage Firetruck Stolen During Hurricane Matthew Found in Orlando

BREVARD COUNTY, Fla. - A firetruck stolen during Hurricane Matthew has been found in Orlando. The 1956 vintage firetruck belongs to a man in Cocoa. It's hard to miss a tow truck pulling a fire engine down the street. That's part of why Charles Fischer has his vintage 1956 engine back.

It was towed home Monday afternoon after a friend spotted it.

“I realized that was my firetruck when I first saw the picture,” said Fischer, a Cocoa realtor.

The picture he saw was an ad on the internet featuring his truck. A salvage yard was selling the truck for parts. A friend of Fischer’s saw the ad and brought it to Fischer’s attention.

The truck had been stolen earlier this month, when someone towed it away in broad daylight from the lot where Fischer kept it in Cocoa.

“It is a little disheartening that somebody can impersonate you as an owner, call a tow company and sign a piece of paper and receive cash, and there goes your vehicle,” Fischer said.

Fischer called the Orange County Sheriff’s Office when he saw the ad. The salvage yard had it towed back to Fischer within hours.

“I see a few things missing. But most of her seems to be there,” Fischer said.

Read more
Posted: Nov 1, 2016

New Fire Station Opens on North Farms Road in Wallingford (CT)

WALLINGFORD - The new fire station on North Farms Road should reduce response times for medical calls, the fire chief said. The new 16,000-square-foot station, located at 884 North Farms Road, will help improve the fire department's response to emergency medical situations, said Fire Chief Richard Heidgerd.

“It gives us an opportunity to grow as a volunteer fire department,” North Farms Volunteer Fire Chief Tim Wall said. “We now have a facility that is comfortable, clean and state of the art.”The station will house a paramedic ambulance staffed by career firefighters, which the old volunteer fire station did not allow. The ambulance has become the fire department’s primary responding vehicle for medical emergencies, and the only town ambulance on call 24/7.

The North Farms unit celebrated its 70-year anniversary last weekend and currently has about 45 volunteers, Wall said. The voluntary fire unit is one of two in Wallingford, along with the East Wallingford Volunteer Fire Department. Earlier this year, the North Farms department consolidated with the Yalesville volunteer department due to a lack of volunteers at both departments, Heidgerd said.

Construction on the station began in April 2015, two months after the Town Council approved $4.6 million for the project.

The new station was built at the site of a former horse barn and dairy farm. The town purchased the land in 2011. The station cost about $5 million in total to complete, Heidgerd said.


Read more
Posted: Nov 1, 2016

Mason County mill building a 'total loss' after major fire

A fire early Monday destroyed the main mill building at a wood products company east of Shelton called Camco, according to Central Mason Fire & EMS. At 8:15 a.m. Monday, wave after wave of fire crews were dispatched to 6400 E. Agate Road. They needed that many fire tenders because there was no water on-scene, Chief Tim McKern said.
- PUB DATE: 11/1/2016 1:53:48 AM - SOURCE: Olympian
Read more
RSS
First67216722672367246726672867296730Last

Theme picker

Search News Articles