Kansas City Fire Department responds to house fire in Kansas City

The Kansas City Fire Department responded to a house fire in the 2800 block of Oakley Avenue in Kansas City, Missouri– a few blocks from Blue Valley Park and less than a half-mile from Interstate 70 — early Sunday morning. KCFD said that upon arrival at 5:50 a.m., two occupants were on top of the one-and-a-half-story home as heavy fire and smoke came out of the structure. Crews proceeded to rescue the two individuals and reported that a third occupant was able to self-evacuate. All three occupants were evaluated by EMS on scene but declined treatment or transportation to a hospital. According to KCFD, the fire was under control at 6:03 a.m. and the cause is still being investigated.
WDAF-TV FOX 4 Kansas City

Train derailment in Unity Village leaves conductor, engineer with minor injuries

An early-morning train derailment left two people with minor injuries in Unity Village. According to Jackson County, Mo., Sheriff Darryl Forte’, officers were dispatched to the derailment at 12:40 a.m. on Sunday. It happened in a heavily wooded section at 87th Street between Rhinehart and Colbern Road, just east of Unity Village. According to Forte’, the engine car pulling the train derailed. A press release issued later in the morning by the Lee’s Summit Fire Department reported that around 12-20 rail cars out of the train’s 144 total cars were found on their sides. No hazardous materials were onboard and the derailment did not cause any fires. The train’s conductor and engineer suffered only minor injuries. Just after 8 a.m., Amtrak posted on X that the Lincoln Service Missouri River Runner Train 319 would be stopped at St. Louis due to the derailment.
KCTV CBS 5 Kansas City

Four kayakers safe after successful water rescue in Christian County

Four kayakers in Christian County are safe and on dry land Saturday after needing a water rescue from James River at the Delaware Town Access Point earlier in the afternoon. Christian County Sheriff Brad Cole said one person made it safely onto a bank and the other three were clinging to a log when first responders were able to rescue them. Sheriff Cole said the water this weekend is high and dangerous, and these kayakers were fortunate to have no major injuries. “It’s absolutely a miracle that they’re still alive,” Sheriff Cole said. “Not to mention that all the rescue workers’ lives that they put in danger have to get out here and do this.” The four kayakers and their raft overturned Saturday afternoon, leaving the four people struggling in the water without life jackets. Sheriff Cole stressed the importance of wearing a life jacket whenever you go on the water.
KODE-TV ABC 12 Joplin

Lightning strike likely to blame for fire at Liberty home built in 1842

A lightning strike is the likely cause of a house fire Thursday near William Jewell College in Liberty. Records from the Clay County assessor's office show the home was built in 1842. Liberty Assistant Fire Chief Chris Young told KSHB 41 firefighters heard a loud bang while at their fire station. Calls began coming to the fire department about smoke coming from the house at 430 E. Franklin Street. Firefighters from Kansas City and Kearney helped knock down the fire. No one was inside the house at the time of the fire. An investigation is underway to determine the cause of the fire.
KSHB-TV NBC 41 Kansas City

Monarch Fire Protection District exploring options to add ambulances, protective gear

VIDEO: If you need medical attention, you would hope an ambulance would arrive as soon as possible. However leadership at the Monarch Fire Protection District said their response times are not where they’d like to be, sometimes taking upwards of 10 minutes from when first dispatched. Monarch’s coverage area serves around 80,000 residents, covering portions of Ballwin, Clarkson Valley, Chesterfield, Creve Coeur, Maryland Heights, Wildwood and unincorporated St. Louis County. It is just about 63 square miles of land. With population growth in the area in the coming years, Chief Russ Adams says the district’s current fleet of four ambulances will not suffice. “We’re looking for an increase in the next years of about 25% in call load, so having four ambulances, we’ll be greatly increasing that time to get to our community,” Chief Russ Adams said.
KMOV-TV CBS 4 St. Louis

Gas leak in Kansas City’s Westport area leads to evacuations

VIDEO: Streetcar construction crews struck a gas line on Wednesday morning, resulting in evacuations of some nearby businesses. Officials told KCTV5 that construction personnel working on underground train and traffic signals hit the 3-inch gas line in the area of Westport Road and Main Street. As a result, Main Street from 39th Street and 40th Street to Westport Road was closed as Spire crews worked to shut the valve off. The gas valves were shut off after almost three hours, but people who work on the block by Westport and Main are still irritated because this has happened twice now. They wonder how many more times this will happen before the streetcar extension is complete. Making their day “brutal” as one business owner put it. “This has definitely been the worst,” Christina Decker, owner of Mid-West Cycler, said.
KCTV CBS 5 Kansas City