‘Protect our brave firefighters’: University of Texas students in Austin create firefighting robot

VIDEO: University of Texas students created a robot that can help protect firefighters. Their startup is called Paradigm Robotics. The technology is meant to assist with search and rescues in structure fires or other dangerous situations. Recently, the Austin Fire Department reported two firefighters were injured after searching for a person inside a house fire. The invention is called FireBot. Founder Siddharth Thakur said fire departments around the country are testing the robot. World’s first high temperature resistant, un-manned,” Thakur said. “So think remotely controlled search and rescue robot, designed to enter structural fires or other hazardous situations and provide life-saving, mission-critical situational awareness.”
KXAN-TV NBC 36 Austin

Pipeline Rupture Near Pyote Sparks Fire

VIDEO/PHOTO: A pipeline rupture early Friday morning caused a structure fire and damaged electrical poles along the Interstate 20 corridor near Pyote. The Monahans Volunteer Fire Department responded to the incident at the 57-mile marker on the south service road of I-20 after receiving reports of an explosion. Firefighting units, including a pumper, a brush truck, and a water tender, were dispatched to the scene. Upon arrival, crews discovered a ruptured pipeline at an oilfield location between the 66 and 57-mile markers. The rupture resulted in a fire that fully engulfed a nearby structure and several electrical poles, prompting a joint firefighting effort with the Wickett Fire Department. The operation lasted nine hours, information stated.
San Angelo LIVE!

El Paso Fire Department rescues person from canal

El Paso Fire crews rescued an individual from a canal in South-Central El Paso on Sunday night, April 28, the Department said in its X account. The individual was rescued from the canal along Loop 375 (Border Highway) and Fonseca. The person and the scene were turned over to the Border Patrol. No injuries were reported. El Paso Fire also took part in two water rescues on Friday. One individual was safely pulled from the canal in this same area on Friday night. Earlier that day, two people were rescued and one died after a water rescue/recovery operation at 1905 Delta Drive.
KTSM-TV NBC 9 El Paso

Two killed, one injured in accident involving heavy load in Temple

PHOTOS: Two people are dead and one is injured after an accident involving a trailer carrying an oversized load. Temple Fire and Rescue responded to a report of a motor vehicle collision on State Highway 36, just west of Highway 317, at approximately 11:20 a.m. Saturday. The Georgetown Fire Department Special Operations Team, Killeen Fire Department Special Operations Team, Belton Fire Department, Temple Police Department, Texas Department of Public Safety, Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT), PHI Air Medical, Baylor Scott & White Surgical Staff, Temple EMS, Temple Towing, Wards Towing and Grones Environmental also responded to the scene. When Temple Fire and Rescue crews arrived on scene, they discovered an oversized load came off of its trailer, pinning a vehicle beneath.
KWKT-TV FOX 44 Waco

McAllen Fire Department holds push back ceremony for new brush truck

VIDEO: The McAllen Fire Department held a traditional “push back” ceremony on Thursday for a new brush truck it has received. The Skeeter Brush Truck was acquired through Community Development Block Grant funding with an initial investment of over $220,000 and was approved by the McAllen City Commission. “The vision behind this apparatus that is a reality here today is to continue to always provide our first responders and firefighters with the equipment necessary to perform their job not just safely, but effectively,” said Juan Gloria, City of McAllen Fire Chief. This new unit replaced an 18-year-old one and is equipped with a removable wildland firefighting skid load, a 300-gallon on-board water tank and various equipment for wildland firefighting and rescue operations.
KVEO-TV NBC/CBS 23 Brownsville

No injuries in 2 Longview house fires

The Longview Fire Department extinguished two housefires that resulted in no injuries Thursday night and early Friday morning. According to the Longview Fire Department’s Facebook page, the first fire was responded to around 11 p.m. Thursday in the 800 block of Buchanan Avenue. Upon arrival, the post said there were visible flames in the back of the home, where the fire was put out without injury. The home was vacant at the time, the post said, and sustained an estimated $35,000 in damages. The department responded to the second fire around 3:50 a.m. Friday in the 1300 block of North Ninth Street, where the fire was found on the south porch of the home. According to the post, all residents were out of the home upon the department’s arrival. One pet was treated with oxygen on the scene, the post said, but is reportedly in good health.
KLTV ABC 7 Tyler

Firefighters respond to reports of ’multiple explosions, fire’ at east Austin home

The Austin Fire Department knocked down a fire at an east Austin home after reports of a “disturbance associated with multiple explosions, fire and smoke.” Firefighters responded to 4604 Imperial Drive at 9:58 a.m. Crews searched the structure and removed boards from the windows to ventilate. AFD said Austin-Travis County EMS was evaluating multiple patients with injuries unrelated to the fire. Drivers were asked to avoid the area.
KEYE-TV CBS 42 Austin