Lawyer: Photos of Kobe Bryant's remains shared 'for a laugh'
A lawyer for the widow of Kobe Bryant told jurors that a “culture of callousness” led Los Angeles County deputies and firefighters to share photos of the remains of Kobe Bryant and other victims of the 2020 helicopter crash that killed the Lakers star, his 13-year-old daughter, and seven others.
2 found dead after fire breaks out in Old Irving Park apartment building that was reportedly without heat
The pair were found dead in an apartment building that apparently did not have working heat and was so filled with belongings it was difficult for firefighters to move around inside the first-floor unit, according to Chicago fire officials.
chicagotribune.comChicago police officer shot on Near North Side
A Chicago police officer was shot in the Goose Island neighborhood Monday afternoon, authorities said. Paramedics were called to the 1000 block of West North Avenue about 3:30 p.m., Fire Department spokesman Larry Langford said. They transported a male officer to Advocate Illinois Masonic Medical Center, he said. The officer had injuries that were not believed to be life-threatening and his condition was stabilized.
chicagotribune.comChicago paramedics in line for $1.83 million sexual harassment settlement
Five Chicago Fire Department paramedics are in line to share a $1.83 million settlement in their lawsuit alleging they were sexually harassed at the department and officials ignored their complaints about the treatment.
chicagotribune.comFirefighter grabbed by crew members as he falls through floor of burning home, goes back to fighting West Englewood blaze
Once firefighters were on the scene, a firefighter fell through the floor, triggering what’s known as a mayday call, but was grabbed as he was falling and was all right, according to the Fire Department’s media office. He was “OK and back on the pipe,” meaning he went back to hosing down the fire, according to a department tweet.
chicagotribune.com8-year-old girl jumps out of window to escape apartment fire, 2 younger brothers rescued, Chicago fire officials say
District Chief Frank Velez, another Fire Department spokesman, said jumping three stories onto a mattress isn’t necessarily a good course of action in every situation, but he was grateful it worked in this case. He said the girl likely was safe when she jumped because of her small size and the tactic may not have worked as well for adults or bigger children or teens.
chicagotribune.com‘Unattended cooking’ blamed for blaze that left child, 2 adults injured on Southwest Side, fire department says
The fire occurred in the 4300 block of West Ford City Drive in the Ford City neighborhood, according to the Fire Department. The fire was contained to one unit on the first floor and was suspected to have started in the kitchen due to cooking left unattended.
chicagotribune.comHouse fire that killed mother, daughter in Gresham neighborhood now investigated as double homicide, arson, officials say
Ieashia Ford, 34, and her daughter Porche Stinson Ford, 10, were previously identified by the Cook County medical examiner’s office as being among six people who the Fire Department said were pulled from the home in the 8600 block of South Hermitage Avenue about 4 a.m. Sunday. The mother and daughter were taken to OSF Little Company of Mary Medical Center and pronounced dead a little after 5 a.m. Sunday, according to the medical examiner’s office, which indicated they had both lived in the home that was set ablaze.
chicagotribune.comTeenage girl among 2 killed in Gresham house fire, officials say; 4 others injured
The call also prompted an EMS Plan 1, which launches at least five ambulances. The two people who died and who earlier had been listed by the Fire Department as “extremely critical” were rushed to OSF HealthCare Little Company of Mary Medical Center, he said.
chicagotribune.comSchiller Park woman rescued after awning collapses, pins her for 10 hours
“It was pretty quick. The Fire Department worked with the Police Department and with the extra hands, the police officers started clearing that ice and that snow right away so the firefighter-paramedics could go through the house and out the back door to actually get to the patient, to her upper body, and were able to speak with her and start stabilizing her,” Cesaretti said Wednesday morning. “The whole thing took about 10 minutes. She was injured and obviously very cold.”
chicagotribune.comClawson police, fire take ‘polar plunge’ to raise money for Special Olympics
This year, the Clawson Police and Fire Department raised a total of $2702 for the Special Olympics Charity. Clawson Police and Fire Department members embraced the cold of Michigan winter for a good cause. Police officers Ryan Tracy and Scott Vierk joined firefighters Connor Winther and David O’Connell for a polar plunge to help raise money for the Special Olympics. Check out the video below -- and donate to the cause here.
7 firefighters hurt as ‘Mayday’ called during extra-alarm fire in Bridgeport neighborhood
Firefighters called what’s know as a Mayday for missing firefighters, when there was a “flashover” in the building, in which “the contents in the structure catches fire all at once, said Fire Department District Chief Steven Clay, in a televised news conference at the scene as crews were still battling to contain the fire about 9:30 a.m.
chicagotribune.comAt least 4 firefighters hurt as ‘Mayday’ called during extra-alarm fire in Bridgeport neighborhood
Firefighters called what’s know as a Mayday for missing firefighters, but by about 7:45 a.m., all firefighters had been accounted for, according to the Fire Department. Four injured firefighters were being taken to hospitals after suffering what was believed to be non-life-threatening injuries.
chicagotribune.com2 dead, 2 critically hurt when vehicle plunges off Stevenson
The car was heading north on the Stevenson when it hit a concrete wall on the northbound side of the expressway, then went over a concrete median, according to preliminary information released by Trooper Omoayena Williams, a state police spokesman. The car then fell off the interstate and hit a light pole before stopping at Archer Avenue and Robinson Street.
chicagotribune.comShooting outside University Village bar ends with crash on Dan Ryan Expressway and 2 shot, police say
The two were taken by Fire Department ambulance to the University of Chicago Medical Center after Illinois State Police troopers, police officers and Fire Department emergency crews got there. The woman was listed in critical condition, while the man had been released as of Thursday, police said.
chicagotribune.comSnow buildup causes partial wall collapse at Aragon Ballroom, sends debris near CTA ‘L’ structure
The collapse occurred on the northern end of the building’s west wall, Ald. James Cappleman, 46th, said. Snow caused part of the roof parapet to collapse, which also damaged the fire escape below it. Cappleman reached out to owners of the building but had not heard back yet by Tuesday afternoon, so he was unsure if the damages were structural or cosmetic.
chicagotribune.com1 dead following Sauganash house fire, officials say
About 1:55 p.m., callers told 911 that someone was trapped inside the ranch-style house in the 5600 block of North Kerbs Avenue, said department spokesperson Larry Langford. The Fire Department was dispatched, and the first unit arrived on the scene about five minutes later. The man was found in the back of the home and was declared dead at the scene just after 2 p.m., according to Langford.
chicagotribune.com2 found dead in South Austin apartment house after extra-alarm fire, officials say
They were found dead inside the two-story residence in the 500 block of North Lawler Avenue, according to the Chicago Fire Department. One man also broke his leg when he jumped from the second-floor of the home and was taken to Stroger Hospital, where his condition was stabilized.
chicagotribune.comWoman, 2 pets found dead after Albany Park apartment fire
Fire crews found the woman as they fought the fire in the apartment, according to Fire Department. The 44-year-old was found unresponsive in her bed, according to a police media notification. Two pets also were found dead in the apartment, according to the Fire Department.
chicagotribune.comExtra-alarm fire hits West Side auto supply business, sending 250 firefighters to scene
The fire in the building at 4425 W. 16th St. began about 8:45 a.m. and was quickly raised to an extra-alarm response, along with a hazardous materials response, according to the Fire Department. Someone who said they were inside the building alerted officials that the roof was on fire, Fire Department spokesman Larry Merritt said.
chicagotribune.com62-year-old man dies in fire at Port Huron residence
PORT HURON, Mich. – A 62-year-old man died in a fire at a residence in Port Huron Thursday afternoon. The Port Huron Fire Department says at about 6:36 p.m. crews responded to a building fire in the 600 block of 12th Street. Upon arrival, firefighters were notified of a possible victim in an upstairs bedroom who was unable to move due to a medical condition, officials said. Crews worked to put out “heavy fire” in the second story of the home, with flames reaching more than 10 feet in the air. Once the fire was put out, crews found the body of a 62-year-old man who was beyond lifesaving assistance.
Residents rescued from apartment fire in Detroit’s Midtown
DETROIT – The Detroit Fire Department was on the scene of an apartment fire in Midtown on Monday. Residents were rescued from the apartment. Crews were seen at an apartment building in the 600 block of W. Bethune Avenue around 10:30 a.m.As of 11 a.m. there was no longer smoke or flames in the apartment. Officials said the fire was contained to one apartment within the building. READ: More local news coverage
Fire union complains East Chicago not following CDC policy on coronavirus quarantine
"Our members are being told that we are essential workers and that we are to report to work even after we have been directly exposed to COVID-19, Mata said. “What is essential is the Fire Department and The City of East Chicago follow the CDC quarantine guidelines and to send a firefighter home from work when they tell you there are people in their household who have COVID-19. Now, we have multiple firefighters testing positive at that station, on different shifts.”
chicagotribune.comUnit a complete loss after fire at senior community in South Lyon, multiple people transported to hospital
SOUTH LYON, Mich. – A fire at a building in a senior community in South Lyon has displaced nine residents. READ: More local news coverageA fire at a building in a senior community in South Lyon has displaced nine residents. (South Lyon Fire Department)A fire at a building in a senior community in South Lyon has displaced nine residents. (South Lyon Fire Department)A fire at a building in a senior community in South Lyon has displaced nine residents. (South Lyon Fire Department)
Ann Arbor Fire Department begins exercises in South University buildings
ANN ARBOR, Mich. – Pedestrians walking along South University Avenue shouldn’t be concerned if they see a bit of smoke and firefighters moving in-and-out of buildings over the next few weeks. Starting Tuesday, and continuing through October, Ann Arbor Fire Department will turn the unused buildings between East University Avenue and Church Street into training grounds to practice different exercises. The buildings on that block of South University Avenue will be demolished soon, so they provide a unique opportunity for the fire department to practice, according to Fire Chief Mike Kennedy of the Ann Arbor Fire Department. The block is the former location of a PNC Bank, South U Pizza, several eateries, apartments and other shops. Once the buildings are demolished, Hughs Properties will build Vic Village South, a mixed-use building, on the block.
California wildfire likely to grow from wind, low humidity
The blaze, known as the Bobcat Fire, is expected to grow through Sunday and Monday as critical fire weather conditions continued due to gusty wind and low humidity. The Bobcat Fire started Sept. 6 and has already doubled in size over the last week — becoming one of Los Angeles County's largest wildfires in history, according to the Los Angeles Times. Though the Bobcat Fire neared the high desert community of Valyermo, a Benedictine monastery there appeared to have escaped major damage, according to the Los Angeles Times. More than 7,900 wildfires have burned more than 5,468 square miles (14,164 square kilometers) in California this year, including many since a mid-August barrage of dry lightning ignited parched vegetation. Meanwhile, officials were investigating the death of a firefighter on the lines of another Southern California wildfire that erupted earlier this month from a smoke-generating pyrotechnic device used by a couple to reveal their baby’s gender.
Desert communities told to evacuate as winds stoke flames
The fire grew to 142 square miles (368 square kilometers) on Saturday when winds pushed the flames into Juniper Hills. But, Los Angeles County park officials said the blaze destroyed the nature center at Devil’s Punchbowl Natural Area, a geological wonder that attracts some 130,000 visitors per year. The name of the firefighter killed in the nearby El Dorado Fire was being withheld until family members are notified. The El Dorado Fire has burned more than 34 square miles (89 square kilometers) and was 59% contained, with 10 buildings destroyed and six damaged. ___Associated Press writer John Antczak in Los Angeles and Daisy Nguyen in San Francisco contributed to this report.
1 injured in car fire on North Adams Road in Rochester Hills
ROCHESTER HILLS, Mich. – Fire crews were sent to a crash and vehicle fire on Monday at 5 p.m. on North Adams Road, north of Walton Boulevard in Rochester Hills. The passenger was found on the grass about 30 feet from the vehicle that was on fire, officials said. North Adams Road was closed for more than 2 hours for investigation and cleanup of the scene. The Oakland County Sheriff’s Office handled the investigationREAD: More local news coverageFire crews were sent to crash and vehicle fire on Monday at 5 p.m. on North Adams Road, north of Walton Boulevard. (Rochester Hills Fire Department)
Fraser fire department investigates building collapse on east side
FRASER, Mich. Firefighters are investigating the cause of a building collapse on Saturday on Frasers east side. Half of a building has collapsed on Groesbeck Highway near 14 Mile Road. Officials from Consumers Energy say they conducted an investigation and the collapse was not caused by a gas explosion. This is an ongoing investigation. MORE: Local News
Couple dies in Van Buren Township house fire
VAN BUREN TOWNSHIP, Mich. A husband and a wife in their 70s died in a house fire in Van Buren Township, according to officials. Van Buren Public Safety responded to a house fire in the Belle Harbor Estates Subdivision at 45510 Lilac Lane on Tuesday morning at 1:59 a.m. When police got on scene the fire was already well involved in the house, according to officials. Fire departments from Romulus, Belleville and Sumpter Township responded to the scene too. Van Buren Fire Department and Michigan State Police are investigating the cause.
Film producer, wealthy heir, political donor Steve Bing dies
LOS ANGELES Movie producer, film financier, real estate heir and major Democratic political donor Steve Bing has died. The Los Angeles County coroner said Bing died Monday at his residence in the Century City section of Los Angeles. In the 1980s, Steve Bing dropped out of his fathers alma mater, Stanford University, where the elder Bing had donated $50 million, for a career in Hollywood. He got early credits as a co-writer for the 1984 Chuck Norris Vietnam vet movie Missing in Action and its two sequels. Bing was an LA socialite who frequently dated famous women and was often seen on red carpets, at big-dollar benefits and courtside at Lakers games.
Southfield Fire Department rescues ducklings trapped in storm drain
SOUTHFIELD, Mich. – The Southfield Fire Department (SFD) came to the rescue on Saturday morning when a brood of ducklings fell into a storm drain. According to a news tip, a duck and her 10 ducklings were crossing Southfield Road to reach a water pond at Spring Haven Apartments when they fell into a storm drain. Members of SFD were able to rescue nine of the 10 ducklings and return them to safety. The resident believes a good samaritan must have witnessed the incident and called the fire department for help. Full Screen 1 / 5 The Southfield Fire Department came to the rescue when 10 ducklings fell into a storm drain on May 2, 2020.
Coronavirus outbreak is stretching New York's ambulance service to breaking point
New York (Reuters) - The coronavirus outbreak sweeping through New York City has pushed its ambulance service close to the breaking point, with hundreds of personnel out ill and emergency calls skyrocketing, supervisors and rank-and-file emergency medical technicians said on Friday. At the same time, ambulance calls are skyrocketing. Marshall said even those ambulance workers who had tested positive for the coronavirus were being asked to work unless they show symptoms. Two workers told Reuters that ambulance personnel who remain on the job are working 16 or 17-hour days. In a phone call, the Fire Department said it was not requiring ambulance personnel to work double shifts.
feeds.reuters.comJuvenile charged with shooting Chicago trick-or-treater, 7
The man believed to be the target was a 30-year-old shot in the hand, police spokesman Anthony Guglielmi said. The girl was trick-or-treating as a group of males chased a man down the street in the Little Village neighborhood. The shooting came on a night where children typically crowd the streets. But in Chicago, because of snowy weather, the number of children trick-or-treating was smaller than normal. In the San Francisco Bay area community of Orinda, California, police said four people were killed in a shooting at a party.
chicagotribune.comSouthern California earthquake triggers reports of damage
LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - A magnitude 7.1 earthquake on Friday in Southern California triggered reports of damage in communities in the northwest area of San Bernardino County, near where the temblor hit, the county Fire Department said on Twitter. Homes shifted, foundation cracks, retaining walls down, the department said on Twitter. One injury (minor) with firefighters treating patient. No unmet needs currently.
feeds.reuters.com