Fire crews responded to a small fire Wednesday morning at Goose Creek Correctional Center, the state's largest prison located near Wasilla, emergency officials say. The fire was reported just before 10 a.m. in a laundry duct, said Alaska Department of Corrections spokeswoman Betsy Holley. Evacuations were not needed, she said. The Central Mat-Su and West Lakes fire departments brought the fire under control about an hour after they arrived, said Ken Barkley, emergency services director for the Matanuska-Susitna Borough. Crews were still at the prison cleaning up around noon, he said. The cause of the fire is under investigation and it wasn't immediately clear how much damage the building sustained, Holley said. The medium-security prison houses about 1,235 men, according to data from the department.  

VIDEO: A smoking frame is all that's left of a house in Brookline after firefighters said it exploded Wednesday afternoon. Crews from about 14 fire departments worked to put out the flames at 7 Gilson Road after the house was fully engulfed in flames after the explosion. Officials said a family of four lived in the home, but no one was inside when the explosion occurred. David Lawrence has lived in the neighborhood for 18 years. He said he saw flames coming out the front and windows of the home. "It's one of those things where it's shock," Lawrence said. "You don't expect to see a fire next door. Again, my main thing was, was anybody home? That was my main concern." Lawrence said he was mostly worried about the well-being of his neighbors and friends. "My main concern was for them, you know. Things can be replaced," Lawrence said.  

Christopher Cawdrey was eating lunch at his remote home in far northern Larimer County when he noticed smoke coming over the hill in the direction of his neighbor's house. Once outside, he could see the house was on fire and quickly called 911. The dispatcher asked his location and other critical questions, then asked if would be willing to livestream video from his cellphone of what he was seeing. He agreed, and the dispatcher texted him a link. He clicked on the link and was able to walk around the burning home to show the dispatcher the fire in real time. The dispatcher relayed the video to emergency responders who could better assess the scene. Because the house fire was near the Wyoming border, 90 minutes from Fort Collins, firefighters couldn't save the home.  

VIDEO: Last week, the Southern Tier Harley-Davidson got the opportunity to assist in the rebuild of the famous 9/11 Harley Super Glide. New York Fire Department Firefighter and Navy Veteran Tim Duffy rode his 200 HD FXDX Harley-Davidson motorcycle as a way to quickly get to the scene of the first fallen tower to help save lives. A photo of him riding on the motorcycle has turned out to be an iconic photograph from that day. Since then, the bike has been a part of the organization "1 Soldier 1 Dog 1" Team to raise awareness and funding for veterans across the nation suffering from PTSD. Recently, the bike faced severe damage from a fire in the garage it's stored in, resulting in the bike needing to be rebuilt. That's when Southern Tier Harley Davidson Parts Manager Jason Snowdden received a special request to help find a major component for the repair, the wiring harness.  

A young man, dressed in a heavy fire-resistant jacket, sits tensed on a fire truck, poised for action. As the vehicle approaches the scene, he takes in the view. Thick gray smoke billows upward from a small house and bright orange flames lick the roof. His heart pounds in his chest as adrenaline pumps through his body. His fingertips and toes jitter with anticipation. As the truck stops, he's out the door and on his feet, ready to get the job done. Airmen from the 436th Civil Engineer Squadron fire department respond to scenes like this approximately 10 times per week. Twenty-five percent of the incidents they respond to are mutual aid agreements with local agencies, including the Dover Fire Department. This partnership between the 436th CES and the Dover Fire Department goes beyond simply responding to the same incidents: it's a brotherhood.  

VIDEO: High school teams around the state are working hard to get in tip-top shape for their season. On Wednesday, the Billings Senior volleyball team got some help from the Billings Fire Department. On Wednesday afternoon, the Lady Broncs came to the fire station to test their fitness and strength in a firefighter workout. Billings firefighters showed them some of the things they do to gear up for fire season, and work on their functional fitness. The firefighters worked alongside the team as they took part in various workouts with fire hoses and hammers. BFD said this is the first time, at least in recent memory, that they have welcomed in a local team for a workout. Both the players and the firefighters said it was a great way to get involved with the community.