firefighter safety News

Massachusetts Lawmakers Advance ‘Hot Work’ Oversight Bill

A decade after two firefighters died when they became trapped in a brownstone in Boston’s historic Back Bay neighborhood by a fire caused by sparks from welders working next door, the Massachusetts Senate passed a bill Thursday aimed at toughening …

6 Firefighters Injured in Collision of 2 Firetrucks Heading to Burning House

Authorities say a collision between two firetrucks responding to a blaze in northeastern Pennsylvania injured six firefighters. Officials in Luzerne County say a rescue truck from Valley Regional Fire and Rescue collided with a ladder truck from Hazle Township just …

Baltimore Firefighter Killed, Four Others Injured Battling Rowhouse Fire

A rapidly intensifying blaze that engulfed multiple rowhouses in northwest Baltimore late Thursday afternoon left one firefighter dead and four others injured, city officials said. The injured firefighters sustained varying degrees of burns and are receiving medical treatment, officials said …

Families Blame Faulty Vehicle for Ship Fire That Killed Two New Jersey Firefighters

The families of two New Jersey firefighters who were killed battling a July blaze inside a cargo ship said Friday a malfunctioning vehicle being used to load cargo onto the ship caused the fire. Relatives of Newark firefighters Captains Augusto …

Firefighters Fear Toxic Chemicals in Gear Contributing to Rising Cancer Cases

Boston firefighter Daniel Ranahan had heard about colleagues getting cancer but he was stunned when doctors discovered a large tumor in his chest. He was only 30 and had been in the Boston Fire Department less than a decade. But …

Two New Jersey Firefighters Died Battling Fire on Cargo Ship Carrying 5,000 Cars

Two firefighters were killed battling a blaze that began when cars caught fire deep inside a cargo ship carrying 5,000 cars at a New Jersey port, Newark`s fire chief said Thursday. Responding firefighters found five to seven vehicles already on …

3 Firefighters Critically Injured, 19 Others Hurt in Staten Island Wind-Swept Fire

Three New York City firefighters were critically injured Friday in what the commissioner said was a “very close call” as wind-swept flames tore through a Staten Island duplex. They are alert and expected to survive, officials said. Firefighters rescued a …

Reuters Special Report: Burnout: Firefighter Trauma Rises in Western States

Cal Fire Battalion Chief Miguel Watson wakes to the wind whipping through the trees. The whole night is ahead of him. He lies there and then, feeling restless, gets up and walks to his pickup truck. He listens to the …

U.S. Approves Fire Retardant That Could Be ‘Game-Changer’ in Fighting Wildfires

U.S. officials on this week approved a long-lasting fire retardant that could significantly aid in fighting increasingly destructive wildfires by stopping them before they ever start. The U.S. Forest Service approved Perimeter Solutions’ fire retardant that is intended to be …

Houston Fire Chief: Recommit to Safety After Firefighter Death

The Houston fire chief says the recent death of a firefighter from injuries he suffered four years ago must spur a renewed commitment to firefighter safety to avoid future fatalities. Chief Samuel Pena spoke at a memorial service for retired …