Latest news with #firemarshal
CBS News
2 days ago
- CBS News
$250,000 worth of illegal fireworks seized in Brooklyn
Officials seized hundreds of illegal fireworks from a Brooklyn business earlier this week. The bust happened Tuesday at Everbright Trading Company on Flushing Avenue near Varick Avenue. New York City Fire Department officials say the investigation began after the Riverhead Long Island Fire Marshal's Office sent them a tip about Everbright. When fire marshals visited the business in plainclothes, they found shelves stocked with illegal fireworks, including aerial "cake-style" rockets, handheld Roman candle-style fireworks and large sparkling devices, officials say. A man was arrested after fire officials seized about $250,000 worth of illegal fireworks from a Brooklyn business on June 24, 2025. FDNY Undercover agents later attempted to purchase the fireworks and executed a search warrant, which led to the seizure of over 1,000 illegal fireworks believed to be worth a total of about $250,000. The on-site manager for the business, 42-year-old Lisen Pan, was arrested and charged with criminal possession of a weapon, reckless endangerment and unlawfully dealing with fireworks and dangerous fireworks. "The massive amount of powerful fireworks allegedly possessed by this defendant made his conduct not only unlawful, but also a danger to public safety that necessitated decisive action," Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez said in a statement, in part. A man was arrested after fire officials seized about $250,000 worth of illegal fireworks from a Brooklyn business on June 24, 2025. FDNY Summonses were also issued for illegal storage of fireworks without a permit, obstruction of sprinkler heads and the obstruction of means of egress. The bust was a joint effort by the FDNY's Bureau of Fire Investigation, the Bureau of Fire Prevention and the Brooklyn district attorney's office. Officials are encouraging all New Yorkers to celebrate the upcoming Fourth of July holiday responsibly.
CTV News
4 days ago
- General
- CTV News
‘We could have all died': 2 Ontario families horrified after washing machines suddenly catch fire
Two Ontario homeowners contacted CTV News after their washing machines caught on fire, almost burning their homes down. Ontario's Office of the Fire Marshal (OFM) says they investigated over 670 fires involved dryers and washing machines over a five-year period. While most of those fires involved dryers, two Ontario homeowners contacted CTV News after their washing machines caught fire, almost burning their homes down. 'We could have all died,' said Chandra Lake of Brampton. It was last fall when Lake's three-year-old LG washing machine caught on fire. Lake told CTV News her daughter had been doing laundry and was about to leave the house to buy groceries when she noticed smoke coming from the basement. The family called 911 and firefighters were able to extinguish the blaze. 'They determined the drum might have seized and the motor was running and the friction might have caused the fire,' said Lake. For Lake's family, it was a traumatic experience. 'Just doing a load of laundry could have killed everyone in the house. When CTV News reached out to LG Canada on Lake's behalf, a spokesperson said in a statement, 'LG has been directly in touch with the customer. The unit was purchased 'as-is' and LG was not able to confirm the condition of the unit, or whether the unit was ever serviced previously. LG has since taken the unit back and sent it to our headquarters team to analyze. No fault was found, nor has any other incident of this nature been reported. The unit was replaced with a brand-new product at no expense to the customer.' But, another homeowner told CTV News they had a similar experience. 'Before the load was finished, it essentially burst into flames,' said Domenic Tetro of Cambridge. Tetro said his four-year-old LG washing machine also caught on fire in April. Fortunately, his family had two fire extinguishers and were able to put out the blaze. He said it's a lesson to never leave your washer or dryer operating unattended. 'You would never think you need to keep your washing machine attended at all times, but now I have a new life long fear. We will never leave them unattended again,' said Tetro. In Tetro's case, LG Canada told CTV News, 'This issue has been resolved. The customer was contacted, and a replacement unit was provided.' Uncommon, but can happen 'It is uncommon but washing machines can catch on fire. It can happen,' said Melissa Cicceocelli, Acting Division Chief for the Public Education and Professional Development Division with Toronto Fire Services. According to the OFM, between 2019 and 2023 there have been 22 washing machine fires and 648 dryer fires in the province. To avoid fires in the laundry room, the OFM recommends checking the washer and dryer cords for damage and making sure outlets have ground fault interrupters (GFCIS), inspecting and cleaning the lint trap after each load, checking the outdoor vent to ensure its unobstructed, and always turn the washer and dryer off if you leave home or go to bed. It's also recommended to never overload the machines as it can wear them out faster, and never use extension cords to avoid overheating. 'We want to make sure we are installing our smoke alarms and testing them and having a fire escape plan as well,' said Cicceocelli. While both washing machines in these instances were LG models, there were no indications as to whether the fires were connected. In the end, both Lake and Tetro were satisfied to get replacement washing machines, but they are hoping for more answers too.
Yahoo
5 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Fire destroys Shelby apartment building
An apartment fire in Shelby has displaced multiple families and caused more than a quarter million dollars in damages after a blaze broke out early Tuesday morning, according to Shelby Fire & Rescue. The fire, which heavily damaged around nine apartments, occurred at Washington Square Apartments, located at 397 Seattle St., near Shelby Middle School around 2:30 a.m. It was caused by someone cooking on a charcoal grill on a second-floor apartment, according to Fire Marshal Phillip Lane. Twenty-three personnel members of multiple fire departments responded to the blaze, and it took around 45 minutes to contain it, according to a news release from Shelby Fire & Rescue. There were no injuries, but the property damage was estimated to be around $350,000. It is still under investigation by the Shelby Fire Marshal. Eight apartments total were evacuated. This article originally appeared on The Shelby Star: A fire has displaced families and damaged Shelby apartment building
The Guardian
12-06-2025
- Climate
- The Guardian
Oregon wildfire destroys homes and raises fears for looming fire season
A growing wildfire in Oregon has destroyed multiple homes and prompted evacuation orders in the Columbia River Gorge area, in what officials are calling an early warning of the fire season ahead. The so-called Rowena fire had grown on Thursday to 3,500 acres and remained 0% contained, prompting officials to issue evacuation orders for hundreds of homes and to temporarily close a section of an interstate highway. The state's governor, Tina Kotek, invoked the Emergency Conflagration Act for the Rowena Fire, allowing the state fire marshal agency to mobilize resources, it said in a statement. The agency said it was mobilizing an incident management team and six structural taskforces, with three responding on Wednesday night and the other three arriving early on Thursday. The fire has already destroyed about 20 homes, according to local news reports, and is threatening nearly 2,200 structures. The wildfire comes as the US west readiest for what could be a brutal fire season exacerbated by a dry winter and warming temperatures. Parts of Oregon are already dealing with record-breaking early season heat. Acres burned US wildfires are measured in terms of acres. While the size of a wildfire doesn't necessarily correlate to its destructive impact, acreage provides a way to understand a fire's footprint and how quickly it has grown. There are 2.47 acres in a hectare, and 640 acres in a square mile, but this can be hard to visualise. Here are some easy comparisons: one acre equates to roughly the size of an American football field. London's Heathrow airport is about 3,000 acres. Manhattan covers roughly 14,600 acres, while Chicago is roughly 150,000 acres, and Los Angeles is roughly 320,000 acres. Megafire A megafire is defined by the National Interagency Fire Center as a wildfire that has burned more than 100,000 acres (40,000 hectares). Containment level A wildfire's containment level indicates how much progress firefighters have made in controlling the fire. Containment is achieved by creating perimeters the fire can't move across. This is done through methods such as putting fire retardants on the ground, digging trenches, or removing brush and other flammable fuels. Containment is measured in terms of the percentage of the fire that has been surrounded by these control lines. A wildfire with a low containment level, such as 0% or 5%, is essentially burning out of control. A fire with a high level of containment, such as 90%, isn't necessarily extinguished but rather has a large protective perimeter and a rate of growth that is under control. Evacuation orders and warnings Evacuation warnings and orders are issued by officials when a wildfire is causing imminent danger to people's life and property. According to the California office of emergency services, an evacuation warning means that it's a good idea to leave an area or get ready to leave soon. An evacuation order means that you should leave the area immediately. Red flag warning A red flag warning is a type of forecast issued by the National Weather Service that indicates when weather conditions are likely to spark or spread wildfires. These conditions typically include dryness, low humidity, high winds and heat. Prescribed burn A prescribed burn, or a controlled burn, is a fire that is intentionally set under carefully managed conditions in order to improve the health of a landscape. Prescribed burns are carried out by trained experts such as members of the US Forest Service and Indigenous fire practitioners. Prescribed burns help remove flammable vegetation and reduce the risk of larger, more catastrophic blazes, among other benefits. Prescribed burning was once a common tool among Native American tribes who used 'good fire' to improve the land, but was limited for much of the last century by a US government approach based on fire suppression. In recent years, US land managers have returned to embracing the benefits of prescribed burns, and now conduct thousands across the country every year. 'This early season conflagration should come as a reminder to Oregonians to be ready for wildfire,' said Mariana Ruiz-Temple, the state fire marshal. The Oregon department of transportation said on Wednesday Interstate 84 was closed between Hood River and The Dalles, though the highway was reportedly reopened by Thursday. Hood River, a popular tourist destination about 55 miles (90km) east of Portland, is home to about 8,000 people, and more than 15,000 people live in The Dalles farther east. Residents of more than 700 homes were ordered to evacuate in an area stretching north-west of The Dalles along I-84 and farther inland, according to the Wasco county sheriff's office. Residents of more than 1,300 homes were told to prepare to leave, including in part of the town's northern end. A middle school in The Dalles was set up as a temporary shelter, while the county fairgrounds opened as a shelter for livestock and horses, the sheriff's office said. Photos shared by the transportation department showed flames burning alongside and in the median of I-84 as wind gusts fanned the smoke. A water helicopter and a plane dropping fire retardant helped fight the fire, which broke out on Wednesday.
Yahoo
01-06-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Letters to the Editor: As July 4th approaches, Orange County preserve requires fire-preventing action
To the editor: The Randall Preserve is a decidedly mixed blessing to the community ('After 27 years fighting to change oil field into massive Orange County nature preserve, initial plans released,' May 23). The birds and four-legged neighbors are welcome, but the many illegal campers constitute a serious threat of wildfires. The overlapping jurisdictions of city, county and fire district complicate responsibility for public safety. Further, the Mountains Recreation Conservation Authority that now holds title to the property does not yet have control over it because Aera Energy, the oil company responsible for cleanup of the property, still controls it. Aera Energy is not evicting trespassers nor even stopping camping. The California fire marshal has now designated the area of the Randall Preserve, and the adjacent homes and businesses, a moderate fire risk. We anticipate increased homeowners' insurance costs. Within the past couple of weeks, a wildfire started on the Randall Preserve and spread to Orange County's Talbert Park area before it was put out. Fortunately, there was no wind to spread it to our homes. We are acutely aware that July 4th is just weeks away and that fireworks, as well as campfires, can trigger wildfires. I urge all parties, especially Aera Energy, to eject the campers and keep trespassers out before we suffer a real tragedy. Kenneth Smith, Costa Mesa This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
