Sept. 04--An East Farmingdale firefighter was hospitalized Saturday after the roof of a burning building in Lindenhurst collapsed, burying the firefighter underneath, the department's fire chief said.
Eight fire departments responded to the fire at about 2 a.m. inside a commercial building on Gear Avenue, off Wellwood Avenue, in Lindenhurst, East Farmingdale fire chief James Yearsley said. As firefighters tried to enter the building, the roof and front wall of the building collapsed, he said.
Sept. 04--Five firefighters for two tiny Hampden County towns are in hot water after being arraigned yesterday on charges that they torched several abandoned homes to help pad their wallets with extra duty pay, authorities said yesterday.
"It's very disheartening," said Brimfield Board of Selectmen chairman Thomas Marino. "You put your trust in them to be firefighters, the people who come to put your fires out, not be causing them. It's the worst kind of violation of your trust."
Investigators said a fire that burnt down a historic school house early Saturday morning was intentionally set.
The Milliken School House, which was nearly 100 years old, was burnt to the ground after it was spotted engulfed in flames at about 4:11 a.m.
"As soon as they left the station, they could see the size of the fire and called for more resources," Milliken Fire Chief Ron Bateman said. Fire crews who first arrived at the scene had to immediately go into a defensive attack.
A large fire broke out at the Webb Road Flea Market, near Interstate 85, on Friday morning.
The fire was reported at about 7:40 a.m. A caretaker who lives on-site said he went outside to begin opening for the day, saw smoke and called 911. Several other witnesses reported hearing several explosions before seeing the flames.
Firefighters said the flames spread quickly, engulfing several buildings.
Sept. 03--BRIDGEPORT -- Fire districts were not at fault when a firefighter "unnecessarily and improperly" started a backfire that destroyed a couple's property, the state court of appeals ruled Tuesday.
After hearing about the court's decision, landowner Terry Pope said Thursday, "It's ridiculous that a guy can walk around and start a backfire in 35 mph winds and not be found at fault. This guy caused that fire. Damn right I'm going to fight it."
Sept. 03--The Tulsa World is gathering readers' Admiral Twin stories and photos. If you have a memory or photos to share with the World about the famed drive-in, please send it to web@tulsaworld.com
A large fire devastated the storied Admiral Twin Drive-In on Friday.
A pilot practicing takeoffs and landings at the Aurora Airport smashed into the roof of a nearby home in a crash that seriously injured him but left the homeowner unharmed.
Marion County deputies and the Aurora firefighters responded to a home in the 14000 block of Cessna Street Northeast at about 12:30 p.m. Friday and found a 1956 Aeronca Champion 7-AE sticking out of the manufactured home's roof.
Two neighbors helped a woman escape from an early morning fire that caused $500,000 in damage to a Vancouver apartment building, firefighters said.
Police dispatchers said they received a 911 call at about 1 a.m. Friday from a woman screaming, "My apartment is on fire." The line then line went dead.
Vancouver fire crews arrived at the Autumn Chase Apartments in the 11000 block of Northeast Seventh Street about 5 minutes later.
