PHOTOS: The historic courthouse in Rome is a total loss after a massive fire, a Floyd County fire division chief chief said in a news conference on Monday. The fire caused the bell tower of the structure to collapse.

Rome-Floyd County Fire Department said they were able safely evacuate everyone from the fast-moving fire before they had to switch to a defensive posture. The fire was discovered in the building at around 2:20 p.m. Monday. The courthouse was undergoing renovations at the time of the fire.

No firefighters or members of the public were hurt in the fire, fire officials confirmed. The historic courthouse was built in 1892. The site was previously home to the Davis Foundry, and will still being used as the office of the Floyd County Tax Commissioner.

The tax commissioner’s office said in a statement Monday night, “Thank God for the Facilities staff who warned us to get out and the firefighters and 1st responders who ran into the fire while we ran out.”

WSB-TV ABC 2 Atlanta

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VIDEO: The Aroostook Emergency Management Agency (EMA) has a new tool designed to give crews real-time views of dangerous situations from above: a drone. Officials say the drones can be used to monitor river ice jams and spring flooding, as well as spot and track wildfires across the county.

“We can sit up in one spot on the river and go up and down the river getting a better perspective of the area,” said Derrick Ouellette, deputy director of Aroostook EMA. In a county as large and rural as Aroostook, that perspective makes a big difference, giving emergency crews real-time information for up to 40 minutes at a time, without putting boots on the ground.

“It’s going to be a really good tool. And especially since it was made in the U.S. It is going to be a lot more secure to use than other things that come off the shelf,” Ouellette said. The drone kit, which includes infrared attachments, multiple batteries, and a waterproof, impact-resistant case, cost about $20,000 funded through a grant Ouellette applied for more than two years ago.

“The biggest part for me was probably getting the SOPs and policies in place and getting the grant for the drone,” Ouellette said. With a licensed drone team in place, officials say the technology will help them quickly assess situations from above so they can better respond on the ground.

WAGM-TV CBS/FOX/CW+ 8 Presque Isle

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PHOTOS: An explosion and large plume of smoke at the Valero refinery in Port Arthur prompted officials to order west-side residents to shelter in place, while nearby Nederland reported no impact from the incident Monday.

The shelter-in-place order was lifted and Texas Highway 82 was reopened just after 5:30 a.m. Tuesday morning, nearly 12 hours after the explosion, according to a message sent out over the Southeast Texas Alerting Network.

Classes at Port Arthur ISD’s Booker T Washington Elementary and Abraham Lincoln Fine Arts Academy will start at 9 a.m., according to the district. Buses will run their normal schedule and students will not be considered tardy before 9 a.m. Classes at Sabine Pass School remain cancelled.

The shelter-in-place had been issued for the west side of Port Arthur from Stilwell West to South of 73. Pleasure Island and Sabine Pass were included in the shelter-in-place.

Antonio Mitchell with the Port Arthur Fire Department confirmed an incident at the Valero facility. “The type of incident is unknown at this time,” Mitchell said not long after the explosion as his crews headed to the scene.

KBMT-TV ABC 12 Beaumont

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A fire that destroyed a mobile home in Lakewood left three people injured. The flames broke out Sunday morning, in a mobile home park near 84th St. S. and Pine St. S., about a half mile west of I-5. Medics from West Pierce Fire & Rescue transported three people to local hospitals to be evaluated. A photo posted on X by fire officials showed the mobile home gutted by fire, with heavy smoke still pouring from the structure. The fire was under control by 9:00 a.m. The cause of the fire is still under investigation.

KIRO-TV CBS 7 Seattle

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PHOTOS: Two goats were rescued from the flooding Yakima River after being swept away inside a white plastic chemical tank. Columbia Basin Dive Rescue responded to the unusual call earlier today after witnesses at Beach RV Park in Benton City spotted the goats drifting in the swift current. The team navigated through debris and fast-moving water to reach the container. Inside, they found an adult male goat and a young kid. The team navigated through debris and fast-moving water to reach the container. Inside, they found an adult male goat and a young kid.

KNDO-TV NBC 23 Yakima

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