Shortly after 5:30 p.m. Friday, Belvidere responds to a home in the 700 block of North State Street in Belvidere for a report of a porch fire. Once on the scene, firefighters say the two outside stairways were fully engulfed with fire. Once the residents were outside of the home, they notified officials that cats were still inside. Shortly after, firefighters initiated an offensive attack by sending crews through the front of the home to look for the cats. At this time, Belvidere Fire upgraded the alarm and 10 different departments arrived to assist. Officials say they were able to rescue one cat but three others perished in the blaze. There were no civilian or firefighter injures as a result of this incident. Residents were put into contact with the Red Cross and Salvation Army for assistance.  

A 65-year-old man was critically hurt in a fire early Monday in Uptown on the North Side. A fire broke out in an apartment on the 3rd floor of a senior building about 3:30 a.m. in the 900 block of West Lawrence Avenue, Chicago Fire officials said. A couch was burning and firefighters rescued the man out of the apartment, fire officials said. He was taken in critical condition to Illinois Masonic Medical Center, fire officials said. A Chicago police officer was injured at the scene of the fire but refused medical help, according to fire officials.  

Sharkey's, also the former site of Big JJ Fish & Chicken, was deemed a total loss after an early Saturday morning blaze. Peoria Firefighter/Paramedics were called at 12:30 to 913 S. Western Ave. on reports of a structure fire. The entire building was engulfed upon first responders' arrival. Crews attacked the blaze from the front and the rear because of its intensity, and had it extinguished in about 25 minutes. However, they had to remain on scene for close to 2.5 hours to douse hot spots. A fire investigator called to the scene said an explosion from inside the building triggered the incident. No one was hurt.  

VIDEO: Blackhawk Fire crews respond to a barn up in flames Sunday morning. The Tri-State Fire Alert tweeted around 8:30 a.m. about a fire in the 3200 block of Prairie Rd. in Rockford. Crews say once on scene they found a barn with an attached shed fully engulfed in flames. Firefighters say the fire was under control in just under an hour. Damages are estimated to be around $30,000. No one was injured. The cause of the fire is still under investigation.  

A fire broke out Sunday afternoon at Guerin College Preparatory High School in River Grove, which closed nearly a year ago and is set to be demolished. River Grove Fire Chief Sean Flynn said at 4:09 p.m., firefighters responded for smoke coming from the roof of the empty school building at 8001 W. Belmont Ave. in the western suburb. They found a small fire in the Holy Cross Gym at the school and put it out. The cause was under investigation late Sunday. They found a small fire in the Holy Cross Gym at the school and put it out. The cause was under investigation late Sunday. Flynn said the school is vacant and no demolition work is happening at the moment.  

VIDEO/PHOTOS: A massive fire destroyed a historic church in Philadelphia's Tacony neighborhood. Firefighters were able to bring the flames under control around 7 p.m. Fire Commissioner Adam Thiel said the building was a total loss. Built in 1884, St. Leo had been a community landmark in Tacony for more than 135 years. It became a worship site in 2013 after merging with Our Lady of Consolation Parish and it permanently closed in January 2019, according to a report by the Northeast Times. Maureen Nemchik joined St. Leo's in 1980 and fought back tears as she watched the fire. "It's really hard for all the people who've gone to St. Leo's for births, christenings, weddings, funerals and you know everything in between," Nemchik said. "I was married here. My daughter was married here."  

Fires in Fresno are up 50% compared to this time last year, and with the hottest months still ahead, officials say that percentage is expected to rise. Firefighters are expecting 2021 to be a record-breaking year. Crews have already put out 2,500 fires this year. That's nearly half of last year's total in just over four months. "Pretty incredible pace we are on. Most of the veteran firefighters in the department with 20 to 25 years on the job said they have never seen it like this," said Shane Brown with the Fresno Fire Department. In just the first nine days of May, crews have already responded to nearly 200 fire calls. "The numbers we are seeing now are completely unprecedented," Brown said. Brown says homeless-involved fires are up 100% from 2020. Vegetation fires are also on the rise, with an increase of 128% year over year. "Seeing these red flag warnings this early in the season, that is something that for several years has not happened," Brown said.  

A lawsuit filed by 10 Jacksonville firefighters who were injured last year while fighting a cargo ship fire at Blount Island has been transferred to federal court, News4Jax learned Friday. The lawsuit, filed by the Pajcic & Pajcic law firm, holds Hoegh Autoliners and several other companies responsible for the firefighters' injuries stemming from the cargo ship fire and resulting explosion. The 15-floor cargo ship caught fire June 4, 2020, while it was docked at Blount Island. As fire crews fought the flames, an explosion occurred on the eighth deck. Despite wearing protective gear, several firefighters suffered severe burns. None died, but several were hospitalized. In the end, it took more than 150 firefighters over a week to put out the fire, an effort that cost the city of Jacksonville millions of dollars. Among other things, the lawsuit claims the cargo ship was loaded with 2,400 junked and wrecked cars that didn't have their batteries and electrical systems disconnected.  

VIDEO/PHOTOS: The McAllen fire department, along with other local fire and law enforcement agencies, came together to grant four-year-old Justin Perez's wish to become one of his favorite superheroes, a firefighter. Fire Chief Jim Schultz said it was heartwarming to know that Perez looks up to front line workers. "When we got this call and were made aware of his situation and his request, we were willing to do everything we could for this young man," he said. Schultz said when it comes to giving back to the community it is important to go above and beyond. Throughout the day, Perez was not only able to wear a firefighter suit but also experience what it was like to do day-to-day firefighter duties. Laura Moreno who is Justin's mom says she knew the community was planning something big for her son but was amazed to see that it was bigger than what she expected. "He doesn't even miss me," she said.  

The rate of average daily new COVID cases in the U.S. fell to below 41,000 over the weekend, down 30% from two weeks ago and the lowest level since September, Johns Hopkins University data showed. The country has reported an average of 2 million vaccinations per day over the past week, according to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data, down 40% from its peak level. The U.S. is reporting 40,800 daily new infections, based on a seven-day average of data compiled by Johns Hopkins. That figure is down 30% over the past 14 days and 43% from the most recent high point, when the country was seeing about 71,000 daily cases in mid-April. It is also the lowest average since Sept. 19. The latest seven-day average of daily U.S. COVID deaths is 667, Johns Hopkins data shows, far below the winter highs.