Jan. 12, 2023 The twin-engine plane went into the ocean Dec. 15 as the three headed for a transport.

By Christie Wilson Source The Honolulu Star-Advertiser (TNS) Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

Jan. 11—A deep-water search operation on Tuesday recovered the three-member flight crew and wreckage of a Hawaii Life Flight medical transport plane that crashed into the ocean Dec. 15 off Maui near Kaupo, according to the National Transportation Safety Board.

The Raytheon Aircraft Company (formerly Beech) C90A, twin-engine, turbine-powered airplane’s cockpit voice recorder, cockpit image recorder and other electronic components will be transported to the NTSB laboratory in Washington, D.C., the federal agency said in a statement today to the Honolulu Star-Advertiser.

Pilot Brian Treptow, flight nurse Courtney Parry and flight paramedic Gabriel Camacho were killed when the plane spiraled into the ocean after departing Kahului Airport to pick up a patient at the Waimea-Kohala Airport on Hawaii island.

The NTSB released a preliminary report on the crash Jan. 5 that provided a timeline and other details surrounding the ill-fated flight. The agency indicated today that its investigation into the cause of the accident is expected to be completed in 12 to 24 months.

Guardian Flight, parent company of Hawaii Life Flight, was contracted to undertake the search operation, according to the NTSB statement.

The search vessel, the MV Island Pride, operated by Ocean Infinity, arrived at Oahu Saturday. On board the vessel when the search began Sunday were the NTSB investigator-in-charge, the chief of the NTSB Office of Transportation Disaster Assistance, the Guardian Flight’s director of safety, “and a project manager that has prior experience with over-water loss recoveries,” the NTSB said.

Side-scan and multibeam sonar, unmanned underwater vehicles and a remotely operated vehicle were used to search an area of about 54 square miles at depths ranging from 4,500 to 7,500 feet, according to the statement.

After the vessel’s high-precision acoustic positioning system detected a series of pings from the acoustic beacon on the cockpit voice recorder, the wreckage was located at about 5:30 a.m. Monday at a depth of about 6,420 feet, which was about 1,200 feet south of the last data point received from the airplane, the NTSB said.

After additional surveys by the remotely operated vehicle, “the flight crew and the majority of the wreckage were recovered Tuesday.” The NTSB said the wreckage will be transported to a secure location in Hawaii for further examination.

Jan. 12, 2023 Retired Carroll County, GA FF Clay Kierbow went into a narrow opening to save the girl in 2013.

Source Firehouse.com News

When a girl fell into a well 10 years ago, a slim firefighter didn’t hesitate and went down through the 30-inch hole to get her.

Carroll County Firefighter Clay Kierbow became a national hero as video of her cradling Megan Winters went viral.

Kierbow said then, and now to a reporter: he’s no hero.  “That was the job, what I signed up to do, risk my life for others.”

To the Winters, he will always be their hero. That’s why they say it’s their turn to help him.

In 2022, the now retired firefighter was diagnosed with esophageal cancer. And, two days before Christmas his house burned down.

Melissa Winters, Megan’s mother, was already thinking of ways to help after his cancer diagnosis when she found out about the devastating fire.

“It just really gets you emotional because someone was so there for your family and so willing to help you and rescue your daughter. You’ve just got to do something for them as well.” 

Mellissa says they hope he will fight back just as Megan did so many years ago. 

“The fact that he was so willing to go in without hesitation, with no concern or himself or his feelings. To just go down quickly and get her and make sure she came back to us safely, that just means everything.”.  

An online fundraiser has been established to get the Kierbow family back on their feet.

He deeply appreciates the outpouring of support he’s received from the Winters family. 

Jan. 11, 2023 A community group created the garden at the site where Lt. Paul Butrim, Lt. Kelsey Sadler and EMT/firefighter Kenny Lacayo perished last January.

By Christine Condon Source Baltimore Sun (TNS) Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

After the fire, Kintira Barbour knew something had to be done.

After the news cameras disappeared, and the three burnt rowhouses were demolished, an empty lot remained on the corner of South Stricker and West Pratt streets — the site of one of the deadliest blazes for first responders in Baltimore history.

And so, the Mount Clare Community Council, which Barbour leads as president, worked throughout the past year to transform the space into a community garden, complete with saplings, shrubs and neatly landscaped walkways.

The community group was intent on keeping the lot from becoming overgrown with grass and weeds, or becoming an illegal dumping ground, Barbour said.

But what’s more, the gaping hole where the three rowhouses once stood served as a painful reminder of that tragic late January day last year that claimed the lives of Lt. Paul Butrim, Lt. Kelsey Sadler and EMT/firefighter Kenny Lacayo.

“It’s not just a space,” Barbour said. “It’s that reminder of the hardships and the challenges we face.”

And in a low-income community like Mount Clare, those reminders already are painfully abundant, she said. In the makeshift memorials, such as teddy bears hanging from telephone poles. In the vacant homes with boards covering the windows and the doors.

The community council completed the garden with a grant from the Southwest Partnership, which acquires and then distributes funding for community projects in seven Baltimore neighborhoods, including Mount Clare, said Elizabeth Weber, the nonprofit’s acting executive director.

“This is definitely a project that our reviewers felt strongly about wanting to make sure the need to have something at that site was honored as soon as possible,” Weber said.

Over the last few years, the Mount Clare Community Council has made over several vacant lots with community gardens, Barbour said. Often the site of demolished rowhouses ruined by fire, the community gardens have become popular among neighbors, Barbour said.

“In the spring and summer when the produce starts to grow, it’s not uncommon that you would ride by and see people picking their tomatoes or their squash,” Barbour said.

Though many of the lots are privately owned, the community council has taken the initiative to maintain them.

After tragedy strikes and a rowhome is demolished, if the lot is not cared for, the community council starts by filing 311 complaints with the city. Then, council members will reach out to property owners to ask for permission to use the space as a community garden. If they hear nothing back, they’ll start maintaining the lot, and sometimes place garden beds and other items on the site, Barbour said.

That’s what happened with the Stricker Street lot, she said.

“At the end of it all were left with the mess to clean up,” she said. “When the attention is gone — the media is gone ―we have to live here.”

The Stricker Street property owners could not be reached for comment Tuesday.

A nonprofit formed by the Baltimore fire officers union also considered placing a permanent memorial on the Stricker Street site, said Josh Fannon, president of IAFF Local 964. But reaching out to the owners of the three lots has yielded no results, he said.

In the meantime, he is glad the community is maintaining the area, he said.

“It’s very nice to see the community association treating it as the hallowed ground that it is,” Fannon said. “Some of the family visits the site very frequently, and they are happy to see that it’s not being treated as a rubble pile.”

At the front of the lot, three memorial wreaths still stand, adorned with the names of the fallen firefighters and covered in bouquets of flowers. But now, behind them stands a trellis draped in string lights, freshly planted trees, and a path lined with gravel.

Barbour said she’s exploring placing a mural on the wall of the home beside the garden. But the garden itself is nearly complete.

“It’s an expression of love,” she said.

Jan. 11, 2023 LaSalle Fire Chief Jerry Janick advised residents in the area to shelter in place.

Source Firehouse.com News

Residents in LaSalle were told to stay in their homes Wednesday as fire engulfed a chemical plant.

LaSalle Fire Chief Jerry Janick said rews found heavy fire coming from the Carus chemical plant. Additional resources from neighboring areas responded to assist.

Company officials said the fire started in the plant’s shipping area, CBS2 reported.

By about 2:30 p.m., firefighters deemed the fire under control. However, they were still on the scene Wednesday evening.

The chief said one firefighter suffered minor injuries.

Dense smoke was visible from a wide area and residents heard a blast during the fire.

Earlier, the cloud of smoke stretched through the sky, while the sound of the blast from the fire shook the city of LaSalle.

According to the company’s website, they produce potassium permanganate, an oxidant used to treat drinking water, wastewater, and industrial chemicals.

Jan. 11, 2023 “Please be very careful while responding to calls.” Semmes Capt. Charles Couey wrote in an e-mail to firefighters.

Source Firehouse.com News

A captain with Semmes Fire-Rescue warned others about a brake issue six days before it crashed.

When the rear wheel locked up, the truck went sideways and rolled, NBC15 reported.

In an e-mail obtained by the station, Capt. Charles Couey wrote:  “The ladder truck air brake is getting worse… Please be very careful while responding to calls.”

Chief Kevin Brooks declined to do an interview with reporters this week because the crash investigation was ongoing.

After the wreck last Wednesday, he said: “I’m pretty sure the weather had a huge factor in this accident, but we’re going to be investigating it at all angles.”

In Couey’s Dec. 29 email, it’s noted that the new engine wouldn’t be placed into service until after the ceremony.  “Hopefully, the ladder can last until then.”

It didn’t.

During Thursday’s dedication, the chief said: “That truck is 24 years old, so it was an older ladder truck, and yes, we are planning, we were planning to replace it.”

Jan. 11, 2023 Glue that a worker was using on the roof of Hershey Farms Restaurant & Inn ignited, sparking the destructive fire.

By Becky Metrick Source pennlive.com (TNS) Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

A fire that tore into Hershey Farms Restaurant in Lancaster County on Tuesday morning has been ruled accidental, according to state police.

The fire broke out just before 11:50 a.m., at the structure at 240 Hartman Bridge Road, Strasburg Township, according to police. First responders arrived to heavy fire and smoke conditions.

The business was closed, so only employees were in the building at the time of the fire and were able to evacuate safely, police said.

The state police fire marshalls’ preliminary investigation had witness statements pointing to the fire starting in the roof of the building.

Hershey Farm owner Clair Zeager told LancasterOnline an employee was working on the business’s roof when the glue he was using caught fire. The fire then spread to the gift shop and offices.

Investigators determined that the fire was accidental, police said. The flames caused a multi-million dollar loss to the building and its contents.

Police said 24 fire departments responded to the second alarm fire to assist, and the scene was still active as of 4 p.m.

Hartman Bridge Road, Route 896, is shut down in the area.