By MES Dispatch Staff

The Briefing

• A rapidly spreading fire broke out at the Knights Inn in Endwell, New York, shortly after 6 a.m. on June 22, claiming six lives and injuring two others.
• Heavy black smoke and flames visible from the building’s rear prompted a multi-agency response from ten fire departments and four ambulance services in Broome County.
• The hotel was being utilized by the county Department of Social Services as temporary family housing at the time of the fire.
• Two injured residents were hospitalized at Wilson Medical Center; numerous additional residents were displaced.
• Authorities have not yet released the identities of the six fatalities; cause of the fire remains under investigation.

ENDWELL, N.Y. — Six people died and two others were hospitalized following a fire that erupted at the Knights Inn on East Main Street early Sunday morning, destroying the structure and displacing numerous residents.

Endwell firefighters arrived at approximately 6 a.m. to find heavy black smoke at the front of the building and visible flames extending from the rear, according to New York State Police. The rapid spread of the fire forced crews to initiate large-scale suppression operations immediately upon arrival.

Ten fire departments and four ambulance services responded to the incident, providing mutual and automatic aid across the region. Two people sustained injuries in the fire and were transported to Wilson Medical Center for treatment. The extent of their injuries was not specified by authorities.

The Knights Inn had been designated as temporary family housing by Broome County’s Department of Social Services, with multiple occupants residing at the facility when the fire occurred. County officials confirmed numerous residents were displaced by the incident and are coordinating with social service agencies for emergency shelter and support.

State police said additional information regarding the identities of the six deceased, the cause of the fire, and the circumstances surrounding the incident will be released at a later date pending completion of the investigation and notification of next of kin.

A subsequent review by local media found the hotel was one of three Broome County facilities where the Department of Social Services housed families near registered level-two and level-three sex offenders, raising questions about residential placement procedures that the county has not yet addressed.

By MES Dispatch Staff

The Briefing

• Leomar Suris, 36, was identified by the Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office as the man killed in an explosion at a Miami-Dade Fire Rescue maintenance and logistics facility located at 6100 SW 87th Avenue north of Kendall on Monday morning.
• Suris was found dead just after 10 a.m. at the depot where fire-rescue vehicles are fueled and serviced; four other people were injured in the explosion.
• Three people, including a Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office lieutenant, were transported to the hospital by Miami-Dade Fire Rescue, while a fourth person transported himself; all injured persons were reported in stable condition.
• Deputies responding to the scene encountered heavy smoke as they began evacuating the facility; Suris leaves behind two children and family members.
• The Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office homicide detectives, the state fire marshal, and Miami-Dade Fire Rescue are investigating the cause of the explosion.

MIAMI, FLA. — The Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office identified Leomar Suris, 36, as the victim killed in an explosion at a Miami-Dade Fire Rescue maintenance facility on Monday morning.

Suris was found dead just after 10 a.m. at the logistics facility located at 6100 SW 87th Avenue in the Kendall area. The facility serves as a maintenance depot where fire-rescue vehicles are fueled and serviced.

Four additional people were injured in the explosion. Three people, including a lieutenant with the Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office, were transported to the hospital by Miami-Dade Fire Rescue. A fourth person transported himself to the hospital. All injured individuals were reported to be in stable condition.

Deputies who responded to the explosion encountered heavy smoke as they began evacuating personnel from the facility.

Suris is survived by two children and other family members. A GoFundMe fundraiser was established to provide assistance for funeral expenses and family support, which had raised $18,000 in donations as of Thursday.

The Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office homicide detectives, the state fire marshal’s office, and Miami-Dade Fire Rescue are jointly investigating the explosion and its cause. No additional details regarding the nature of the incident have been released.

By MES Dispatch Staff

The Briefing

• Norwich Township Fire Chief David Baird stated he has been unable to obtain or help develop emergency response plans for a 73-megawatt fuel cell power plant being constructed by American Electric Power near an Amazon data center in the Hilliard area outside Columbus, with the company citing trade secrets.
• American Electric Power and Bloom Energy are building a facility with 228 natural gas-powered fuel cells at a site adjacent to the Darby Glen neighborhood and Hilliard Beacon Elementary School, with the project approved by the Ohio Power Siting Board under House Bill 15 passed last year.
• House Bill 15 transferred approval authority for energy projects exceeding 50 megawatts from local governments to the state Ohio Power Siting Board, effectively removing local fire and emergency officials from the planning process despite their responsibility for emergency response.
• In March, local officials from Norwich, Hilliard, and Columbus sent a letter to the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency requesting that firefighters receive facility information, safety procedures, and technological details; AEP responded that company representatives allowed local officials 20 minutes to review physical copies of plans before collecting the documents.
• State Senator Kent Smith said that emergency planning experts typically seek professional input before major decisions and that fire chiefs are requesting a legislative update to require energy companies to share detailed safety plans with local first responders.

COLUMBUS, OHIO — Norwich Township Fire Chief David Baird said his department has been unable to obtain detailed emergency response and facility plans for a fuel cell power plant under construction near Hilliard, with American Electric Power citing trade secrets and citing state law as the reason for withholding the information.

The facility, being built by AEP and Bloom Energy adjacent to the Darby Glen neighborhood and Hilliard Beacon Elementary School, will operate 228 natural gas-powered fuel cells generating 73 megawatts of electricity. The project is designed to supply power to an Amazon data center approved by Hilliard in 2022. AEP and Amazon teamed to develop the project in 2025.

Baird said firefighters normally collaborate with developers on safety planning, including hydrant placement, access gates, and emergency shut-off procedures. However, AEP has largely excluded local officials from planning discussions, citing confidential business information protections.

The company’s decision to withhold plans stems from House Bill 15, bipartisan legislation passed last year that transferred approval authority for energy projects exceeding 50 megawatts from local governments to the Ohio Power Siting Board. AEP withdrew its application for local zoning approval in October after the project received state approval in September, stating no further local review was necessary.

In March, local officials from Norwich, Hilliard, and Columbus submitted a letter to the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency requesting that firefighters receive facility maps, technological information, and emergency procedures. AEP responded that the company remains committed to safety but noted that regulatory permits do not require the sharing of planning documents with local agencies.

Township Trustee Brian Rothenberg said an AEP employee attended one meeting with physical copies of facility plans and permitted local officials 20 minutes to review documents before reclaiming them, with instructions that the plans contained proprietary information and could not be copied or distributed.

Baird said firefighters require information about emergency shut-off procedures for medical and non-fire emergencies, not just fire response. He expressed concern that the facility’s fuel cell technology, which requires removal of the sulfur-based odorant used in natural gas, has been tested at large scale only in South Korea.

Local officials also requested real-time air quality monitoring around the facility. AEP said existing permits do not require such monitoring and declined additional meetings on the topic. The company stated that third-party studies found no noxious emissions and that fuel cell fires are rare.

Baird and Rothenberg have requested that state lawmakers amend HB 15 to require major energy facility developers to share detailed plans with local fire departments and emergency responders while maintaining trade secret protections through confidentiality agreements that prevent public distribution of documents.

The rapid expansion of such projects reflects growing electricity demand from data centers supporting artificial intelligence. Before HB 15, Ohio had one behind-the-meter power plant serving Ohio State University. Since passage, developers have proposed or gained approval for approximately 2,000 megawatts of capacity.

Proponents including Buckeye Institute President Rea Hederman argue HB 15 positions Ohio as a leader in energy policy and will generate billions in investment and job creation. However, local officials expressed concern that Ohio’s accelerated approval process may compromise public safety planning.

State Senator Kent Smith of Euclid, the ranking Democrat on the Senate Energy Committee, called the request for first responder access “more than reasonable.” Smith noted that emergency planning experts are trained to seek specialized input before major decisions, and ignoring expert guidance is a common precursor to disasters. Lawmakers are currently on summer break and are not expected to pass new legislation until after the November election.

By MES Dispatch Staff

The Briefing

• An electrical rooftop fire at the Temple Theatre in Tacoma’s Stadium District on May 12 prompted city inspectors to discover at least three unpermitted residential apartments operating inside the historic building, which is not registered for residential use.
• The City of Tacoma issued a “Do Not Occupy” order on June 11 after discovering tenants had been renting units ranging from one-bedroom apartments at $1,600-$1,700 monthly, with one tenant living in the building for more than a year before the fire.
• The building’s owner, Lawrence Boileau, has not responded to requests for comment; tenants reported they did not know the units were illegal and lacked proper lease documentation.
• Tenants informed the Tacoma Fire Department of their residency on the day of the fire, but the city did not issue the “Do Not Occupy” order until June 11, nearly a month later, after receiving a complaint through the city’s 311 system on June 1.
• The rooftop fire knocked out power to the building; one tenant has remained without heat or electricity since May 12 and has not received relocation assistance required by law within seven days of the occupancy order.

TACOMA, WASH. — An electrical fire that erupted on the rooftop of the historic Temple Theatre on May 12 resulted in the discovery of unpermitted residential apartments inside the building, prompting the City of Tacoma to issue a “Do Not Occupy” order on June 11 and displacing at least three tenants.

The Temple Theatre, also known as the Landmark Convention Center, is located in the Stadium District and is not registered for residential use. City officials stated they had no knowledge of tenant occupancy prior to the fire. Building owner Lawrence Boileau did not respond to requests for comment regarding the illegal residential units.

Tenants interviewed by local media reported they believed they were renting legitimate apartments. One tenant, Nick Marsh, stated he had lived in a one-bedroom unit in the building for more than a year, paying $1,600 monthly in cash with a $2,100 security deposit. Marsh said he never received or signed a lease agreement. He vacated the building on June 2, more than a week before the city issued its occupancy closure order.

Another tenant, who requested anonymity due to concerns about landlord retaliation, moved into a one-bedroom apartment on April 18, less than a month before the fire, at a cost of $4,000 deposit and $1,700 monthly rent. That tenant has not received a copy of the lease despite repeated requests. The unit featured views of Commencement Bay and Mount Rainier, along with storage space for recreational equipment.

Since the May 12 fire knocked out electrical power to the structure, the anonymous tenant has lacked heating or electricity. Living conditions included cooking on a camping stove, taking cold showers, and sleeping under four blankets for warmth. The tenant contacted the city seeking assistance and to secure alternative housing by the end of the following week while maintaining a full-time job.

Both tenants informed Tacoma Fire Department personnel of their residency on the day of the fire. However, the city did not issue the “Do Not Occupy” order until June 11. City Spokesperson Maria Lee stated that the city received a tenant complaint through the 311 system on June 1 regarding up to four unpermitted residential units.

Under city law, a “Do Not Occupy” order requires the building owner to provide relocation assistance to displaced tenants within seven days. As of the article date, the tenant remaining in the building had not received relocation assistance despite repeated attempts to contact management. The only communication avenue available was through the building’s maintenance worker, who also resides on the property and has not responded to inquiries.

The City of Tacoma’s spokesperson said displaced individuals requiring emergency shelter assistance should contact the Red Cross or Associated Ministries. Tenants with questions about their rights are directed to contact the city’s Landlord-Tenant Program through 311. City inspectors are scheduled to conduct follow-up inspections at the venue this week and will post informational materials at the building entrances.

By MES Dispatch Staff

The Briefing

• Skeletal remains of three unidentified individuals were discovered Sunday inside a foreclosed home on Stanwich Lane in Burlington, Connecticut, two weeks after firefighters responded to a fire alarm at the property and did not conduct a forced entry.
• Burlington Volunteer Fire Department responded on May 23 at 2:15 p.m. to an audible fire alarm reported by police; crews found no visible smoke or fire and determined the home appeared vacant.
• The property was purchased at foreclosure auction on June 6 by a new owner, who discovered the remains inside the home over the weekend.
• Property records show the home was purchased in 2019 by Paul and Sally Anne Cash, who reportedly ceased mortgage payments in late 2024 and failed to appear in court proceedings, resulting in a default judgment and forced sale.
• Connecticut State Police responded to the scene Sunday; as of Wednesday, authorities had not officially identified the three deceased individuals, and the cause and timeline of deaths remain under investigation.

BURLINGTON, CONN. — Call logs and incident reports document that firefighters responded to a foreclosed home on Stanwich Lane in May but did not enter the building, two weeks before skeletal remains of three people were discovered inside by a new property owner over the weekend.

The Burlington Volunteer Fire Department received a call on May 23 at 2:15 p.m. from the police department reporting an “audible alarm” at the vacant-appearing property. Upon arrival, firefighters conducted a walkaround of the home and observed no smoke or fire. The incident report noted the home “appeared vacant on the outside” and included signage identifying a management company to contact regarding emergencies.

A police officer at the scene contacted the management company representative and notified them of the sounding alarm. Unable to gain entry without causing structural damage to the building, firefighters did not conduct a forced entry and left the alarm sounding. The incident report concluded that “all fire units cleared without incident.”

The property went unoccupied following the May alarm response until it was purchased at a foreclosure auction on June 6 by a new owner. Property records show the home was acquired in 2019 by Paul and Sally Anne Cash. The couple apparently ceased mortgage payments of $3,255 monthly in late 2024, prompting foreclosure proceedings. They did not appear in court, resulting in a default judgment and court-ordered sale of the property.

The new owner discovered the skeletal remains inside the home over the weekend. Connecticut State Police responded to the property and recovered the remains. As of Wednesday, authorities had not officially identified the three deceased individuals, pending completion of identification processes.

Family members interviewed by authorities said Sally Anne Cash had become progressively withdrawn from family contact over recent years. Her niece, Corinne Handy, told investigators she did not know Cash and her husband had relocated to Connecticut until being contacted by police regarding the discovery.

The Burlington Volunteer Fire Department also responded to the property on Sunday, the day the remains were found, to conduct carbon monoxide testing. The metering showed no carbon monoxide present in the home. The timeline and cause of death remain under investigation by state authorities.

By MES Dispatch Staff

The Briefing

• Eastern Metal Recycling (EMR), a scrap metal recycling facility in Camden that experienced its 13th fire in six years in late May, filed a lawsuit challenging the city’s suspension of its junkyard license issued in June.
• The company claims the city acted outside its authority and violated due process, arguing the suspension cost it $10 million in lost revenue and operational expenses while harming its competitive standing in the industry.
• Mayor Victor Carstarphen, County Commissioner Jeffrey Nash, State Senator Nilsa-Cruz Perez, and Camden City Council leadership passed a resolution calling on all regulatory agencies to permanently close the facility over public safety concerns.
• The New Jersey Attorney General and Department of Environmental Protection filed a separate public nuisance lawsuit in January 2026 seeking to force EMR to implement fire prevention measures at its Camden facilities.
• EMR employs approximately 500 people, including 179-150 Camden residents; the company maintains fires resulted from improperly disposed lithium-ion batteries, though city and state officials contest that characterization.

CAMDEN, N.J. — Eastern Metal Recycling (EMR), a scrap metal recycling facility in Camden, sued the city for suspending its junkyard license following a two-alarm fire in late May that was the facility’s 13th fire-related incident in six years, according to court filings.

The city issued the license suspension in June citing public safety concerns after smoke plumes from the May fire reached into Gloucester Township. In its complaint filed Monday, EMR argued the city acted beyond its legal authority and failed to provide due process. The company asserts that the operational suspension has cost it $10 million in lost revenue and operational expenses and caused irreparable harm in the competitive, relationship-driven scrap metal industry.

Camden city officials and local representatives responded to the lawsuit by advancing a resolution calling for the facility’s permanent closure. Mayor Victor Carstarphen, County Commissioner Jeffrey Nash, State Senator Nilsa-Cruz Perez, City Council President Angel Fuentes, and City Council Vice President Arthur Barclay signed a joint statement stating: “We will not stand idly by while residents are exposed to fires on a regular basis and have to bear the burdens of an operation that clearly cannot function in a safe manner. We will no longer allow shelter in place alerts to go out because of another mishap in this scrap metal operation.”

EMR employs approximately 500 workers in Camden, including between 150 and 179 residents, according to the complaint. The company warned that continued operational suspension will force layoffs. However, environmental justice advocates noted sympathy for workers while maintaining responsibility lies solely with EMR for operating unsafe conditions. In January 2026, New Jersey Attorney General Matthew J. Platkin and Department of Environmental Protection Commissioner Shawn M. LaTourette filed a separate public nuisance lawsuit seeking to force EMR to implement enhanced fire prevention measures at its Camden facilities on South Front Street.

EMR attributes the fires to improperly disposed lithium-ion batteries entering the facility. The company entered a memorandum of understanding with the city in August 2025 to install a fire suppression system at a cost of $6.7 million and agreed to reduce property size by nine acres. However, officials stated in their joint resolution that “that story line is old and irrelevant at this point,” citing the continued pattern of fires despite previous safety commitments and investments. The most extensive fire occurred in February 2025, a four-alarm incident that burned for approximately 12 hours and forced nearby resident evacuations. Camden residents have reported health effects including respiratory illnesses, nausea, headaches, and irritated throats resulting from smoke exposure and air quality degradation from the repeated fires.

By MES Dispatch Staff

The Briefing

• Easton city officials are evaluating staffing, inspections, and emergency response procedures following a federal investigation into the February 20 Hotel Hampton fire that killed no residents but injured a Wilson Borough firefighter.
• A National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) report on the incident prompted city leadership to identify staffing shortages and recommend three full-time fire inspectors to conduct more frequent inspections of high-risk buildings.
• Approximately 730 high-risk buildings exist in Easton; only 133 have fire pre-plans and 129 have received rental inspections, leaving nearly 500 properties unaddressed.
• The city approved a contract with National Fire & Safety Inspection Consultants to administer the fire safety inspection program and maintain inspection records and compliance activities.
• Fire Chief Henry Hennings reported new department-wide training on Mayday procedures, air management, and emergency protocols, with joint bailout kit purchases and training exercises planned with four neighboring fire departments.

EASTON, PA — City officials are implementing personnel and operational changes after a federal investigation revealed significant gaps in fire prevention and response procedures during a February 20 fire at Hotel Hampton, a 462-unit rooming house on Northampton Street, according to the Easton Fire Department.

Although all occupants of the building were evacuated safely, a Wilson Borough firefighter suffered serious injuries including a broken back and ankle during the incident. The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) conducted the investigation and released findings that prompted city leadership to address staffing and inspection deficiencies.

During a city council committee meeting Tuesday, Fire Chief Henry Hennings told officials that Easton does not currently employ a dedicated, fully certified fire inspector and recommended hiring three full-time inspectors with geographically divided responsibilities. Hennings noted that comprehensive inspections of large facilities can require substantial time and resources; a hospital inspection could take two inspectors one to two weeks, while Easton City Hall could require several days depending on findings. Dwayne Tillman, director of planning and codes, reported that fire safety inspections at high-risk buildings largely ceased during the COVID-19 pandemic due to staffing reductions and the city’s transition to new software systems.

The city identified approximately 730 high-risk buildings citywide, including commercial, mixed-use, and rental properties. Of those, only 133 currently have fire pre-plans and 129 have received rental inspections, leaving nearly 500 properties to be prioritized. On Wednesday, city council approved an agreement with National Fire & Safety Inspection Consultants to administer the inspection program, maintain records, coordinate compliance, and collect inspection fees.

Fire Chief Hennings reported that the department is reinforcing training on air management and emergency procedures, with all firefighters receiving instruction to immediately declare a Mayday when low-air warnings activate. The NIOSH investigation found that an injured firefighter was running out of air but did not declare a Mayday early enough. Hennings said mayday procedures, air management, and firefighter survival training will now be conducted semiannually department-wide. Easton, Forks Township, Palmer Township, and Wilson fire departments jointly purchased approximately 127 bailout kits through a cooperative purchasing agreement, reducing costs by $12,000, with joint training exercises planned.

The NIOSH report also found that two firefighters became separated during the Hotel Hampton incident, violating the two-in/two-out protocol. Hennings said the department enforces the policy and is reinforcing compliance through training with both Easton firefighters and mutual-aid companies. The chief noted that volunteer departments can have varying response times and staffing levels, and firefighters from different departments may have different training backgrounds, complicating coordinated interior operations.

Fire Chief Hennings reported that Easton is beginning a regionalization study, funded through a 2025 grant, examining potential consolidation with Wilson Borough, with a long-term vision of a countywide fire and EMS system. The department continues to rely on neighboring departments for air-filling capabilities and is pursuing a Federal Emergency Management Agency grant to replace the fire department’s stationary cascade air system. Planned next steps include continued post-incident reviews with mutual-aid departments and a July meeting with utility companies and emergency responders to standardize electrical shutoff procedures.