3 people were killed in a house fire in Orangeville early Wednesday morning. Around 3 a.m. fire crews were dispatched to the 300 block of Main Street for reports of a house fire. Multiple fire departments were called in and arrived to a home fully engulfed in flames. Two people were found dead inside, one person was taken to the hospital where they later died from injuries sustained in the fire. The cause is under investigating and the house is a total loss. The names of the victims are not being released at this time.  

Lieutenant Tom "T.J." Janopoulos has deep roots in Forest Park, which makes his retirement from the fire department bittersweet. He was born and raised in town and has lived here for most of his 54 years. He joined the department on October 15, 1990 and his last day on duty will be October 14, 2020. Janopoulos is leaving the job he has loved, after 30 years of dedicated service. From a physical, emotional and professional standpoint, he's ready. Janopoulos is also planning to move out of his beloved hometown. Janopoulos grew up on Burkhardt Court. His dad, Pete, worked for the state highway department. His mother, Diane, worked at the McDonald's at Des Plaines and Madison until her retirement. Janopoulos enjoyed an idyllic childhood exploring Forest Park. "Everybody knew everybody," he recalled, "We could stay out late until my dad called us home." Janopoulos and his friends spent their days playing sports and hanging out at the pool.  

Members of the Effingham Fire Department completed a three-part Rail Car Safety program conducted by Mark Allen, Dangerous Goods Officer for the Canadian National Railway. The training program introduced firefighters to basic safety practices for operating around an active rail line as well as identification of various rail cars utilized by the Canadian National Railway and how to properly respond to rail car-related incidents. The final phase of the course consisted of hands-on training utilizing a rail car simulator, where firefighters practiced how to identify and mitigate leaks involving pressure and non-pressure rail cars. "The training provided instilled more confidence in our firefighters to respond to rail car emergencies," said Chief Bob Tutko.  

Crews from several departments were called to a house fire in West Frankfort Tuesday morning. It happened around 8 a.m. Tuesday in the 100 block of West 5th Street. The homeowner tells News 3 he had just left for work when a neighbor called him. West Frankfort Fire Chief Jody Allen says the exact cause of the fire has not yet been determined. The Illinois State Fire Marshal's Office is investigating as a precaution. Allen says the home had major damage. Despite that, fire crews were able to recover some cash found behind a cabinet and return it to the owner. Benton, Zeigler, Buckner/Coello, Carterville and Johnston City Fire Departments, as well as Abbott EMS and United Ambulance, assisted West Frankfort.  

VIDEO: Two workers stuck 10 stories above the ground after their scaffold malfunctioned were saved in a daring rescue by FDNY firefighters who rappelled down the side of an Upper West Side building, heart-stopping video showed. Terrified onlookers watched after the two workers, who neighbors said were doing facade work on the building at the corner of West 78th Street and Broadway, were left clinging to the building high above the ground around 4:30 p.m. Tuesday. It was not clear what caused the scaffold to malfunction, but it was left dangling on the side of the building, nearly perpendicular to the ground far below. One of the workers was still on the scaffold, the other on a window ledge, holding on for dear life. Firefighters repelled down from the top of the building to the workers, a man and a woman, one of whom was able to be brought inside through a window.  

The Town of Beloit Fire Department may become part of a collection of fire departments lead by Janesville Fire Chief Ernie Rhodes. The Town of Beloit Fire Chief Hiring Committee interviewed Rhodes Tuesday morning as it seeks to address the vacancy to be left by retiring Town of Beloit Fire Chief Gene Wright. Discussions indicated Rhodes could remain Janesville's fire chief while leading the town fire department. Janesville also has been discussing having the Milton Fire Department join the Janesville Department in sharing services and reducing costs. The town committee is looking closely at the option of forming stronger countywide partnerships in fire services for the future. The matter of addressing the town fire chief position is expected to be on next Monday night's Board of Supervisors agenda, along with a public hearing.  

VIDEO: Bob Halberstadt, an 80-year-old resident of Blairstown, New Jersey, is redefining life after retirement. While many at his age sit back and enjoy life after years of hard work, Halberstadt is just getting started; becoming the oldest volunteer firefighter at Blairstown Hose Company No. 1. "I didn't give it a second thought. I can do it. I have the will, I have the want, and I have the time," said Halberstadt. Before becoming a firefighter, Halberstadt worked delivering newspapers for the NY Daily News and as a volunteer EMT for the Blairstown Ambulance Corps, where he remains an active member. One of his earliest and fondest memories on the job is when he helped deliver a baby in the Holland Tunnel. His passion to serve his community and help others was taken to a whole different level when he signed up for the Firefighter 1 class at the Warren County Firefighter Academy back in January 2019.  

VIDEO: September 16, 2020 marks one year since the Farmington community experienced an incident that would change life for some forever. An explosion at LEAP Inc. in Farmington killed one firefighter, injured six others, and also injured a building supervisor. Now, Maine state law looks different as a result of an effort to keep Mainers safe in the future. A report released in January by the Maine State Fire Marshal's Office indicated a propane leak caused the explosion. That's because crews severed it when they were drilling posts into the ground near the building, about a week before the explosion happened. As a response to the explosion, Rep. Seth Berry (D-Bowdoinham), the House chair of the legislature's energy, utilities, and technology committee, introduced L.D 1892, "An Act To Make Changes to the So-called Dig Safe Law".  

VIDEO: For more than ten years now, the Ocean City Fire Department has been able to take their life saving efforts to the water thanks to a larger fire boat they have. However, that fire boat is currently in need of repairs so they have a new vessel that's allowing them to continue saving lives. "We've seen a tremendous response this summer with our fire boat being staffed and being able to provide that rapid service," says Ryan Whittington, an Ocean City firefighter and medic. On Tuesday, the Ocean City Fire Department demonstrated just one of the ways their fire boat saves lives by offering a dramatization of how they respond to patients experiencing a medical emergency in hard to reach areas offshore. "The Fire Department responds to various calls on the water some of them could be due to boating accidents, jet ski accidents, rental boat accidents, anything like that," says Whittington. Officials say this type of response vessel is equipped with some impressive tools.