Massive fire displaces flood-weary residents at Livingston apartment complex

VIDEO/PHOTOS: A massive fire ripped through the Pine Hills apartment complex Friday morning in Livingston. It’s an area already severely impacted by this week’s flooding. Video and pictures from Fresh Donuts Downtown shows the height of the fire. Josh Mohler with Livingston Volunteer Fire Department tells KPRC 2 there were no injuries. Displaced families are either headed to stay with friends or relatives or to the shelter that’s already been set up for Livingston flood victims, according to Mohler. That shelter is the Dunbar Gym at 1103 Dunbar Street in Livingston. The fire is now under control and the cause is being investigated by Polk County’s Fire Marshal. The complex sits right off Highway 190 and Highway 59 on Church Street.
KPRC-TV NBC 2 Houston

Thirteen Texas Fallen Firefighters Among Those Being Honored For National Fallen Firefighters Memorial Weekend in Maryland

The National Fallen Firefighters Foundation (NFFF) will host the 43rd National Fallen Firefighters Memorial Weekend on May 4-5, 2024 in Emmitsburg, Maryland. This year’s national tribute will honor 89 firefighters who died in the line of duty in 2023 and 137 firefighters who died in previous years. The honorees will include the following Texas firefighters: Firefighter Peter Avila, age 59, of the Brownsville Fire Department, died on 12/7/2021 due to complications of COVID-19. Firefighter Evan Brown, age 18, of the Honey Grove Volunteer Fire Department and another firefighter were responding to a motor vehicle crash when they hit a cow on the road. The vehicle rolled, ejecting Firefighter Brown, and causing severe injuries. He remained in the Intensive Care Unit at the Medical City Hospital in Plano, TX until his death on 7/30/2023.
BrownwoodNews.com

House Committee: Power lines, monitoring of providers to blame for Panhandle wildfires

A Texas House of Representatives committee tasked with investigating deadly wildfires in the Panhandle ruled that the most destructive blazes were caused by power lines that “had not been effectively maintained or replaced by a utility provider and an oil and gas operator.” The five-member investigative committee, created by House Speaker Dade Phelan in March, released their findings in an initial interim report Wednesday. It provided recommendations to decrease the risk of future disasters. The members included state Rep. Ken King (R-Canadian), Rep. Dustin Burrows (R-Lubbock), landowner Jason Abraham, Rep. Todd Hunter (R-Corpus Christi) and landowner James Henderson. The Smokehouse Creek fire sparked Feb. 26 in Hutchinson County near Stinnett and quickly became the largest wildfire in state history. The fires burned over a million acres in the Texas Panhandle.
The Dallas Morning News - Metered Site

Lubbock Fire Rescue trains with simulated live plane fire

VIDEO: When a Southwest Airlines flight had an engine failure at Lubbock Preston Smith International Airport in April, the Station 11 fire crew made it to the scene immediately to make sure everyone, including the plane, was safe. The station has crew members present at every moment to keep everyone flying in and out of the international airport safe. EverythingLubbock.com met up with the station’s crew on Thursday, May 2 to get a look into the training they go through to prepare for worst-case scenarios, such as a plane catching fire. On Thursday, they attacked flames that bloomed out of an airplane prop they use for training. “This plane is really mimicking a commercial aircraft,” Derek Delgado, who is the Public Information Officer for Lubbock Fire Rescue said. “It really just simulates what could possibly happen in real life.”
KAMC-TV ABC 28 Lubbock

Car catches fire at south Laredo gas station

VIDEO: The Laredo Fire Department has provided an update on a car on fire on Wednesday, May 1, at the Stripes convenience store located at 3302 Lomas Del Sur. According to the Laredo Fire Department, a 2009 Hyundai Elantra caught fire near a fuel pump, causing significant damage to the engine compartments and interior. Fortunately, the driver was outside the car when the fire broke out. The emergency fuel cutoff was activated during the incident. The fire department extinguished the flames, but the heat damaged the fuel pump. As a safety precaution, all pumps and equipment will remain shut off until a service company inspects them. Officials determined the fire to be accidental.
KGNS-TV NBC/ABC 8 Laredo

El Paso unveils $1.4M renovations to Mission Valley’s Fire Station No. 26

VIDEO/PHOTOS: The City of El Paso hosted a ceremony Wednesday to unveil its newly renovated Fire Station No. 26 in Mission Valley. The newly renovated Fire Station No. 26, located at 9418 North Loop in El Paso's Mission Valley, was unveiled Wednesday during a special ceremony hosted by the city. The $1.4 million project was completed using funds from a voter-approved 2019 public safety bond. According to the city, the renovations will "provide additional fire protection and reduce emergency response times" in the area. Beyond that, however, the renovations will boost the quality of life for Fire Station No. 26's firefighters, and help them adequately relax and recharge between calls.
KFOX-TV FOX 14 El Paso

Fire breaks out at coffee roaster in southeast Austin

The Austin Fire Department responded to a fire that broke out at a coffee roaster in southeast Austin on Wednesday. Crews responded at around 4:13 p.m. to 4500 South Pleasant Valley Road due to reports of a fire inside the building. Firefighters searched the building for fire that may have spread and additional hazards. They also worked to ventilate the building. Officials confirmed the fire was contained to the roasting equipment and continued to clear the building from smoke. It's unclear if any damages were caused by the fire.
KEYE-TV CBS/Telemundo 42 Austin

Train derails after major flooding, heavy rain in Limestone County, officials say

VIDEO: Officials from the Shiloh Volunteer Fire Department said severe weather caused a train to derail in Shiloh, Texas, about five miles southeast of Mexia. The event occurred around 6:45 p.m. Wednesday with officials saying heavy rain and major floods led to the derailment. Shiloh VFD said the train tracks washed out between LCR 456 and LCR 460. Officials said five cars are reported on their sides. No injuries have been reported.
KXXV-TV ABC 25 Waco