VIDEO: 7 dead after explosion at chocolate factory in Pennsylvania

PHOTOS: Seven people are dead and several others are injured after an explosion at a chocolate factory Friday in West Reading, Pennsylvania, police and city officials said. Two additional bodies were recovered from the rubble at the site of the factory Sunday night, West Reading Police Chief Wayne Holben said at a press conference. While they still need to identify the victims, it's believed they're the two people who were previously considered missing, the chief said. One person had been found alive overnight in the rubble, officials said earlier. Tower Heath said earlier its hospital in West Reading received 10 patients from the explosion. Of those, two were admitted and are in good and fair condition and six have been discharged. Two others were transferred to other hospitals, it said.
ABC News

New banner program honors volunteer firefighters in West Virginia

VIDEO: If there is one thing each community in the Ohio Valley has in common, it’s a big heart. In Newell, the volunteer fire department is honoring its members with special banners. New banners picturing both past and present Newell Volunteer Firefighters line the power poles throughout the city. The new program hopes to promote growth for the fire department within the community of Newell and beyond. That’s the mission Newell Volunteer Firefighters strive for each and every day. Mike Nixon, who was born and raised right here in Ohio Valley, has been a part of the department since 1974. He says volunteer firefighters are the forgotten heroes of our communities. This new banner program honors the sacrifices and hard work each volunteer member gives to uphold the mission of protecting life and property. Volunteers are a vital part of any community, and Nixon says Newell’s department has been struggling to get new members.
WTRF-TV CBS 7 Wheeling

‘Sad day’ after historic Wright Brothers factory in Ohio damaged by fire

VIDEO/PHOTOS: The Dayton Fire Department was on scene for more than 12 hours after a fire broke out at a historic Wright Brothers site early Sunday morning. According to Montgomery County Regional Dispatch, crews were called to the area of Inland Avenue near West Third Street in Dayton around 2:28 a.m. on Sunday. Mutual aid from area departments was requested around the same time crews were dispatched. Officials confirm the fire was at one point a 3-alarm fire. A release from Dayton Fire identifies the building as historical, which was once the Wright Brothers’ manufacturing facility. “It is listed on the National Historic Register as the first aircraft manufacturing facility founded by the Wright Brothers, and currently stands as the oldest aircraft manufacturing facility in the world,” the release says.
WDTN-TV NBC 2 Dayton

Illinois Fire Departments Could Get a Boost with Firefighter Training Leave of Absence Act

Illinois is facing a shortage of volunteer firefighters, but a new plan from State Senator Patrick Joyce may help address this issue. On Friday, Joyce advanced a plan out of the Senate that would allow for more people to complete firefighter training. Senate Bill 1611, also known as the Firefighter Training Leave of Absence Act, would provide state employees with leave from their job to attend firefighter training courses. This would allow more people to gain proper firefighter training and become experienced volunteers in their communities. “The number of volunteer firefighters has been declining for almost a decade,” said Joyce. “From administering first aid to maintaining equipment to responding to calls, volunteer firefighters help out our communities tremendously. It’s crucial that we take action to address this shortage to ensure fire departments have enough people and resources to continue protecting our community.”
Country Herald

VIDEO/PHOTOS: Historic prep school building in New York destroyed by huge fire

The old Doane Stuart School in the area of Mt. Hope Drive in Albany appears to be a total loss, Albany Mayor Kathy Sheehan said. The fire broke out Thursday evening, with all areas of the building involved. A steeple on the building has collapsed, said the mayor, with more collapses expected. Route 9W at Corning Hill is closed in that area. Meantime, it is still way too early to determine a cause. “At this point, our investigators can’t even get into where they would need to be to investigate this fire,” Sheehan said. She said the state will be helping with the investigation.
WNYT-TV NBC 13 Albany

Retired Seattle firefighter teaches ’CPR for mental health’

VIDEO: Mike Washington doesn't go out on calls anymore, but the retired Seattle firefighter is still fighting to save lives. "We lose more firefighters, more police officers to suicide than we do on the job," Washington said. Washington talks to first responders and veterans about stress, addiction and suicide, recently taking his message to Seattle Station 24. "As a firefighter, we get called to the worst things because that's our job," Washington said. "We signed up for this job, but no one talks about our mental health." Washington spent 32 years going to those calls and 23 years in the Marine Corps protecting his community and country. But who was protecting him? "Being brought up in the Marine Corps and fire service we were mentored by tough guys," Washington said. "There was also a lot of 'Don't complain. Don't cry about it. Rub some dirt on it and get back in there.'"
KING-TV NBC 5 Seattle

Submit Your Nomination for the 2023 IAFC Fire Chief of the Year Award

The IAFC is now accepting nominations for the IAFC Fire Chief of the Year Award through June 9. Since 1996, this prestigious award has recognized one volunteer and one career fire chief for their leadership, innovation, professional development, integrity, public service and contributions to the fire service. The IAFC presents the Fire Chief of the Year award in proud partnership with Pierce Manufacturing. The program’s media partner is FireRescue1 by Lexipol. All of a nominee's fire service activities and accomplishments will be considered; special emphasis will be placed on the period from 2020 through 2022. A nominee's command role at a major emergency incident, while relevant, will not be enough to place that individual into contention for the award.
IAFC.org

Woman starts wish list to help a Virginia fire department, now the community has stepped in

VIDEO: There's constantly training for members of the Petersburg Fire Department. "I don't think a lot of people truly realize how many hours a day, most of the time it's 24, that our firefighters spend at the fire station," Kathleen McCay, the owner of Petersburg's Old Townes Alibi, said. To support the three shifts of firefighters at the city's four fire stations, McCay created an Amazon wish list with the idea of going beyond the basics that the city provides. The idea caught on within the community. "To launch our wish list Tuesday morning and have already 170 some items secured and on their way, that just says the community wants to say thank you," McCay said. The wish list has both small and big items. "So, aluminum pans, aluminum foil, snacks, hydration packets, beverages, hot sauce, condiments, sides for when they cook family style," McCay said.
WTVR-TV CBS 6 Richmond

Hyundai and Kia to recall more than half million vehicles over fire concern

Hyundai and Kia are recalling more than half a million vehicles, mainly SUVs and minivans, because of concerns that a tow hitch harness could catch fire when the car is driven, or even parked. The Korean automakers, which are affiliated with one another, are recalling about 571,000 vehicles. The vehicles included are the 2019-23 Hyundai Santa Fe, 2021-23 Hyundai Santa Fe Hybrid, 2022-23 Hyundai Santa Fe Plug-In Hybrid, 2022-23 Hyundai Santa Cruz, and 2022-23 Kia Carnival. Hyundai said it identified one report of a fire that could be related to the defect condition of a Santa Fe vehicle, in the U.S., adding there were no confirmed crashes or injuries related to the condition. According to the recall, certain vehicles that are equipped with a tow hitch harness, whether installed as original equipment or purchased as an optional accessory at a dealership.
FOX Business