Fire officials will gather on Tuesday to remember a fallen firefighter in a big way in Christopher. The memorial organization for Firefighter Kody Vanfossan announced that its group will rename Highway 148 to honor the fallen Vanfossan. Vanfossan died in a 2019 fire in Christopher. According to the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation, Vanfossan responded to the fire alongside his father, but was unable to escape the second-story flames in time. Since Vanfossan's passing, the Firefighter Kody Vanfossan Memorial has formed to honor his memory and raise money for scholarships given to high school seniors looking into First Responder jobs. The renaming event is open to the public and is scheduled for Tuesday, Aug. 13 at 10:00 a.m. Officials will meet at the Highway 148 and Yellowbanks intersection for the ceremony.  

Residents escaped safely from a garage fire at an Orland Park home Wednesday afternoon. The Orland Fire Protection District was called Wednesday just before 5 p.m. for multiple reports of a garage fire in the 8900 block of Oakdale Court. First responders found heavy fire coming from the garage of a single family home. The fire had already extended from the garage and was spreading quickly into the second floor attic and bedroom. Firefighters made a blitz attack to quickly bring the blaze under control, also extinguishing a fence on fire between the garage and a neighboring house, Orland Fire Protection District Spokesperson Ray Hanania said. No residents were located inside the home, and were later found to have safely escaped through a rear door, Hanania said.  

The Hutchinson Fire Department released a new video showing the intensity of a fire at a recycled mattress business on Tuesday. According to HFD, bystanders reported large amounts of smoke and fire coming from the business. Firefighters noticed a "large glow and smoke plume" as they left the station. The first crew on the scene reported heavy fire coming from the business and immediately took a defensive approach. The fire response was upgraded, and mutual aid from multiple agencies was requested. Firefighters encountered numerous hazards, including downed charged power lines, multiple explosions, high heat, and fire that spread to nearby businesses. A rehabilitation crew at the scene ensured firefighters stayed hydrated, checked their vitals, and continued fire suppression efforts.  

VIDEO: New mobile trailer technology offers firefighters new ways to train. Chiefs from across Western Pennsylvania gathered in Cranberry Wednesday to test them out. Pennsylvania State Fire Commissioner Thomas Cook describes what it means to be a firefighter. "It all comes down to protecting property and saving lives," Cook said. However, like any job, they too require training. Cook said it's even more the case as the environment they work in is constantly evolving as well. "The change in focus from gasoline-powered vehicles to electric vehicles has created a huge change in operations for fire departments over the last five, six years," Cook said. It's just one example and is why chiefs from 40 different agencies came together at Cranberry's Public Safety Training Center.  

PHOTOS: Fire trucks have always been a crucial part of our communities, helping to keep us safe. Over the years, certain historic fire trucks have gained growing interest among collectors and enthusiasts. This gallery shows 9 historic fire trucks that continue to captivate and inspire interest today.  

Samsung is recalling knobs on some of its electric stoves, warning that fires can be set off if pets — or even humans — bump into them. Several videos have shown pets accidentally igniting fires from jumping onto stoves and pawing at the knobs. A Colorado dog set off a house fire in June by doing just that, when the boxes on top of the stove caught on fire. It was all caught on the home's security footage. The Consumer Product Safety Commission said about 1.1 million units are affected. Samsung will provide free knob locks or covers for certain slide-in electric ranges with front-mounted knobs that were sold between 2013 and 2024. "This announcement follows reports that front-mounted range knobs can be activated through accidental contact by people or pets, posing a fire hazard if flammable objects are left on top of the range," Samsung said in a press release. CPSC is looking into fires caused by stoves due to pets jumping on them or humans accidentally bumping into them.