GULF OF MEXICO - Things actually can get worse in the Gulf of Mexico. A fire believed to be caused by a lightning bolt forced the shutdown Tuesday of an oil-capturing system near the gushing Gulf oil well, BP said. The fire aboard the drill ship Discoverer Enterprise was spotted around 9:30 a.m. Although it was quickly extinguished without injuries, the ...

SYRACUSE, NY -- Nearly 200 people, half of them in uniform, gathered for a memorial service for fallen firefighters and Onondaga County Sheriff's deputies. The service included the reading of the names of all firefighters, auxiliary members and sheriff's deputies who died this year. Also read was a list of county firefighters who died in the line of duty. They stretched ...

CHICAGO - One of two Homewood firefighters critically injured Tuesday night in a ferocious house fire that claimed the life of an elderly man has died, authorities said this morning. The firefighter was identified by the Cook County medical examiner's office as 28-year-old Brian Carey of Evergreen Park. The Homewood homeowner killed in the blaze was identified as Wendell Elias, 84. ...

The Detroit Fire Department has suspended a 10-year veteran firefighter, who's expected to be charged today with creating a false fire department report after leaving the scene of a hit-and-run accident. Jonathan Britt, 30, of Detroit was put on leave without pay last week when the department learned a warrant had been signed Jan. 6, Fire Commissioner James Mack said Thursday. ...

GREAT BARRINGTON, MA -- State and town officials, current and former firemen and supporters of the new fire station were on hand Sunday afternoon to observe the official dedication of the building. The guest of honor and main speaker, Mort T. Cavanaugh, fire chief in town for more than 40 years, told the audience of about 150 that "being a fireman ...

BOSTON - A labor arbitration panel has ruled that Boston firefighters must submit to random drug and alcohol testing in exchange for a 19 percent raise over four years, a significant bump that will dwarf the pay increases for other city unions. The decision, released yesterday after a bitter four-year standoff, is largely a victory for the firefighters, who the city ...

BUFFALO - An elderly woman described as being in a dazed condition was rescued by Buffalo firefighters early today after a fire next door began spreading into her home in the city's Jefferson-Ferry area. The rescue was the second in less than 24 hours by Buffalo firefighters. The first occurred early Sunday morning in Allentown. Fire officials said the woman, whose ...

WEST PALM BEACH - A 70-foot pleasure craft returning from the Bahamas caught fire early this morning and pulled into Rybovich Marina at 45th Street and Flagler Drive, where emergency crews responded. The fire was brought under control. Up to 35 firefighters were on the scene, according to authorities. One West Palm Beach firefighter received slight injuries to his upper hand; ...

WILMINGTON, N.C. — Theresa Dailey was a little surprised to find firefighters equipped with drills and a ladder at her door Friday evening. Nor was she expecting the question posed to her: How many smoke detectors do you have in your house? Firefighters from the Wilmington Fire Department spent about an hour canvassing the area around Burnett Boulevard and North Carolina ...

CASTLEFORD, UK - A fire service has released footage of a house in West Yorkshire exploding moments after residents were evacuated, in an attempt to warn copper thieves about the dangers of tampering with electricity and gas equipment. No one was seriously hurt in the incident in Castleford because firefighters had just finished evacuating the whole terrace of properties when it ...

GWINNETT COUNTY, GA - A Gwinnett County firefighter's mission is to save lives in a broader context: He has moved beyond emergency response to early intervention. Battalion Chief Eddie Myers, whose wife is a Loganville private school administrator, recognized a need for positive role models in schools. Two years ago, he created FLAME (Firefighter Lunch and Mentoring Experience), a program that ...

WASHINGTON — Three people are seriously hurt after a crash involving a fire truck in downtown Washington. D.C. fire department spokesman Pete Piringer says a fire truck responding to a fire at a library at George Washington University was involved in a crash with two other vehicles at about 7:30 a.m. on Friday. Three people in the two cars were ...

ORLANDO, FL - An announcement regarding an Orlando firefighter who was caught cheating on a promotions test has his department in a frenzy: he's getting a promotion. Two years ago, Orlando Assistant Fire Chief Rudy Johnson said he didn't cheat after listening in on radio transmissions for advanced information on the promotions test. Johnson claims that it was broadcast over open ...

MARLBORO, MA — The Marlboro Fire Department hosted the Scott Firefighter Combat Challenge Friday and Saturday at Solomon Pond Mall on the Berlin-Marlboro line, attracting several thousand onlookers and participants. Thirty-eight teams from all over New England and Canada competed in what organizers call “the toughest two minutes in sports.” The challenge includes five major obstacles: climbing a five-story tower carrying ...

NEW YORK - A buildup of carbon monoxide under a Midtown street caused an underground fire and a manhole explosion Tuesday afternoon, prompting the evacuation of four buildings near Times Square, the authorities said. The explosion occurred at 4:30 p.m. outside of 226 West 52nd Street, the Novotel Hotel. No one was injured, but the hotel and three other buildings were ...

DEKALB COUNTY, GA - A second DeKalb County firefighter dismissed after a fatal Dunwoody fire has won back his job, WSB-TV is reporting. A hearing officer ruled for William Jeffrey Greene when he appealed his termination last week, according to reports. Greene was one of the five firefighters fired when a blaze killed 74-year-old Ann Bartlett, hours after the firemen responded ...

NEW CANAAN, Conn. (AP) - A 9-year-old Connecticut girl who climbed to the roof of her house and attempted to crawl back inside through the chimney has been rescued after getting stuck. Assistant Fire Chief Jack Hennessey says the girl climbed up a house painter's ladder Wednesday morning, walked across the roof and tried to climb down the chimney. She almost ...

On January 22nd, Senators Tom Carper (DE) and Susan Collins (ME) introduced the Fire Sprinkler Incentive Act in the Senate. This bill would amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to classify automatic fire sprinkler systems as 5-year property for purposes of depreciation. The bill, S. 2947, was referred to the Senate Finance Committee for consideration. Both Senator Carper and Senator ...