Press Release below from Roanoke Fire-EMS Department

On Sunday, May 20, 2012, Roanoke Fire-EMS responded to a fire at 1119 Franklin Rd. Four engines, 2 ladder trucks, 2 medic units, 1 EMS Captain, 1 Battalion Chief and the Investigation Unit responded for a total of 24 personnel. The call was received in the E-911 Center at approximately 8:09 pm and was under control at 8:19pm.

When crews arrived they found a fire in the bedroom of one of the apartments. This apartment building had 3 stories and 6 units total. The fire was contained to the bedroom, but the apartment sustained smoke damage. One of the other apartments sustained water damage.

There were 12 people in the building when the fire started. They all escaped without injury. Firefighters rescued two cats and a snake. The animals are doing well. There were no injuries to firefighters.

The fire started in the bedroom of one of the apartments and was contained to that room. The cause of the fire has been ruled as undetermined but is considered to be accidental. Two occupants were displaced but they did not need American Red Cross assistance.Damage estimates are approximately $41,000.

This is an update. See the original story here

By Becky Robinette Wright

Michael R. Buchanan, 51, of Quinton, suffered serious life-threatening injuries and was flown by med-flight to VCU Medical Center after being involved in an apparatus crash, said Sgt. Thomas Molnar of Virginia State Police.

State Police Officials say that on May 20, 2012, at 5:28 a.m., they responded to a single vehicle crash in the 7100 block of Old Union Road in Charles City County.

The crash occurred when the driver of a 1991 GMC Truck, traveling westbound on Old Union Road, ran off the right side of the roadway. The vehicle crossed back across the roadway, running off the left side and striking a tree. The impact caused the vehicle to overturn coming to rest on the passenger side.

Buchanan was responding to a structure fire in the 4400 block of Old Union Road when the crash occurred. The water tanker truck was loaded with approximately 3,000 gallons of water.

The Charles City and New Kent County Sheriff’s Office’s assisted with the on-going state police investigation.

Photo by Jimmy Bates

Update:with correction on rank/departments

Firefighter/EMT Mike Buchanan, 51, was air lifted to MCV (VCU Medical Center) after a single vehicle wreck in Charles City County today. Buchanan is in critical condition with serious life-threatening injuries. The apparatus he was driving was a tanker and he was the lone occupant of the vehicle at the time of the accident. The accident occured this morning around 5am in the 7100 block of  Old Union Road just off of route 106. Buchanan was responding to a structure fire with other apparatus in the 400 block of Old Union Road.

Mike is a Firefighter/EMT with the Charles City Volunteer Fire/Rescue Department and also volunteers with the Providence Forge Volunteer Rescue Squad.

The tanker is a 1991 model GMC with 3000 gallons of water.

If anyone can confirm what apparatus he was driving I would appreciate it.

Original story: One Charles City County Firefighter is in the ICU at MCV in Richmond following an apparatus rollover.

We will update with further.

Links:

• CBS 6
• WRIC article on the crash
• WRIC Facebook page
• Charles City County FD Online

This photo is shared from WRIC Facebook page.

Russell County Sheriff's Office

Russell County, VA — Russell County, Virginia Authorities are investigating two house fires and wondering if lightning may have been the cause of the fires.One of those homes was an historic home.

Continue reading… Historic Home Destroyed By Fire – News Story – WCYB Tri Cities.

PETERSBURG, VA (WWBT) -

A final farewell to a volunteer firefighter, who dedicated twenty years to his department. 35-year-old, Joshua Culler, fought fires — and cancer. After a short battle with leukemia, Culler passed away. Wednesday afternoon, he was laid to rest with great fanfare.

Fire trucks lined the street at J.T. Morris & Son Funeral Home in Petersburg, where the service was held.

Continue Reading… Disputanta firefighter laid to rest – NBC12.com-Richmond, VA News, Weather, Traffic & Sports.

HENRICO, VA (WWBT) -

A house fire in Henrico kept firefighters busy Wednesday night.

It happened in the 31-hundred block of welsh circle in Eastern Henrico. Investigators are trying to figure out what started this fire.

It took them nearly an hour to get control of the fire. Most of the damage was on the second floor second floor of the home.

Continue Reading… Henrico fire impacts family of four – NBC12.com-Richmond, VA News, Weather, Traffic & Sports.

LORTON, Va. (WUSA) — The Fairfax County Fire Department has brought a fire under control that injured three people at a business in the Lorton area of the county. The injuries were described as minor. Firefighters got the call about 10:45 a.m. Wednesday for a report of a fire and explosion at 10440 Furnace Road.

Continue Reading… Fire Injures 3 In Fairfax County | wusa9.com.

Gary Boyd, 30, a cousin and neighbor to the Martocci family, walks around the front of the Martocci home on 1326 Baron Place in Front Royal Wednesday afternoon. The home was destroyed by fire early Wednesday morning. Rich Cooley/Daily

FRONT ROYAL — An early Wednesday morning fire in Front Royal destroyed a house, injured two firefighters and sent all four family members jumping through first floor bedroom windows to safety outside.

The blaze left the home at 1326 Baron Place a charred ruin. In a press release, the Warren County Fire and Rescue Services declared the home and its contents a total loss estimated at more than $220,000.

via Front Royal fire claims family’s home, injures two firefighters | Local News.

A Shenandoah County family lost a barn built in the late 1800s to fire Wednesday.

Firefighters responding to the blaze off Ramsey Drive near Messick Road arrived to find flames consuming the barn. Crews miles away could see smoke rising from the farm.

Dispatchers received a call shortly before 4:20 p.m. reporting the fire. Crews from Fort Valley, Edinburg and Strasburg fire departments responded to the blaze and were assisted by the Shenandoah County Fire and Rescue Department.

Continue Reading… Fire destroys 150-year-old barn in Shenandoah County | Luray Page Free Press.

Here are some videos from this years Apple Blossom Festival. The parade is said to be the largest firefighter parade in the Nation. The event is held annually in Winchester, Virginia. Read more about the event here.

VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. (WAVY) – The Virginia Beach Firefighters’ Union said it won’t support bringing light rail to Virginia Beach.

“I think it would be an outstanding system in Virginia Beach if we could find a way to pay for it,” said union president Bill Bailey.

That’s literally the million dollar question about bringing light rail to Virginia Beach.

Continue reading… VB firefighters against tide extension | wavy.com | virginia beach.

Here is some helmet camera footage from Central Virginia. The companies involved include Darlington Heights VFD and Hampden-Sydney VFD.

The Virginia Tech Wildland Fire Crew is a student organization whose members have completed training and certification to fight wildfires. The crew goes on calls with the Virginia Department of Forestry and the U.S. Forest Service within Virginia and beyond.

One purpose of the crew is to educate and train participants and the public about the value and necessity of using fire as a tool for wildfire management.

Spotsylvania County’s Department of Fire, Rescue and Emergency Management is spending about $3,000 in the short term to prevent more drug thefts from its ambulances.

Fire Chief Chris Eudailey said the department is changing locks to medication compartments in every ambulance. It’s also adding separate lock boxes in ambulances for morphine and Versed–two drugs that have been reported stolen in recent weeks in three incidents at Chancellor-area stations.

Continue reading… Fredericksburg.com – DRUGS STOLEN FROM SQUADS.

Credit: 13News viewer Firefighters battled smoke and flames in Southall Landings.

HAMPTON– Eight people were displaced when fire swept through a firefighters home Tuesday night.Crews arrived on Southall Landings around 8:00 p.m. and saw lots of smoke and flames shooting from the roof.

Continue reading… Fire breaks out at firefighters Hampton home | WVEC.com Norfolk – Hampton Roads.

This video includes a Multi-car accident in Ridgeway, Virginia, and single vehicle fire in Bassett, Virginia.

Pictures from an accident Wednesday in the Thaxton area of Bedford County on Route 460. Darrell Howell sent us these photos. ( Darrell Howell/Provided / May 16, 2012 )

Bedford County Department of Fire & Rescue responded to motor vehicle accident with reported entrapment at 2:23 p.m. Wednesday near the intersection of 460E and Little Apple in Thaxton.

Upon arrival medics found two vehicles, (one passenger vehicle and one utility contractor’s pickup) with significant damage from a head-on collision.

Crews worked to extricate victims from the vehicle.

More photos here

Continue reading… A two-vehicle accident has shut down part of Route 460 East in the Thaxton area of Bedford County. – wdbj7.com.

From STATter911.com:

Leesburg Today reports that at a press conference this evening in Middleburg, Virginia it was disclosed that a criminal investigation, still ongoing, has determined that close to $500,000 in funds are missing from the Middleburg Volunteer Fire Department. According to the paper’s website, a statement from attorney Ed MacMahon Jr. indicates the money was embezzled over the last three years by Paul Draisey the department’s treasurer. MacMahon is representing the fire department. Draisey committed suicide on April 16. Draisey was also a long time radio personality in Loudoun County.

Continue Reading… Virginia’s Middleburg VFD says treasurer & radio personality who committed suicide embezzled a half million dollars from department. Criminal investigation ongoing. | STATter911.com.

Credit: Matt Bookwalter These Fort Belvoir Fire and Emergency Services personnel, standing left to right front row: Ernest Desantis and Sean Kerrigan. Back row: Roger Kennedy, Shawn Shade, Jeffrey Cox, Daniel Oliver and Michael O’Neill, were honored at the Installation Management Command’s Heroes of the Day for their roles in the rescue. FES personnel who were honored but not pictured are Valoree Brown and Luis Gomez.

The Installation Management Command honored several Fort Belvoir Fire and Emergency Services personnel as IMCOM Heroes of the Day, April 23.

Eight indiviuals received praise from Lt. Gen. Michael Ferriter, IMCOM commander and Installation Management assistant chief of staff, during a video teleconference.

Continue reading… Belvoir firefighters honored for emergency rescue response | Belvoir Eagle.

Lynchburg, VA – Lynchburg Police have filed a reckless driving charge against the driver of the ambulance involved in Thursday’s deadly crash.

Investigators say Justin Kidd, 25, ran a red light and hit 69-year-old Dean Anders’ pickup truck. They say there was a patient in the back of the ambulance at the time of the crash at Campbell and Florida Avenues. But it was not responding code three, so the lights and siren were not on.

Continue reading… WSET.com – ABC13 – Charge Filed in Deadly Ambulance Crash.