VIDEO: One contractor has died and three others have been taken by helicopter to hospitals in Houston and Austin following an oil well blowout in Burleson County. That's according to a spokesman for Oklahoma City-based Chesapeake Energy. The deadly blowout occurred on the company's worksite Wednesday afternoon along County Road 127 southwest of Caldwell. First responders and an oilfield response specialist team remain on location and will likely be there overnight. No names have been released at this time. Burleson County authorities said the fire was reported at 3:30 p.m. on the Wendl and Daniel H 1 H well. Representatives from Chesapeake Energy are also on-site investigating the cause of the blast. The American Red Cross is also on the scene providing rehab to crews and first responders.  

The Harrison County Commissioners Court held a special-called meeting Monday, inviting fire chiefs from all nine Emergency Services District to give input on the county's search for a new fire marshal. The post became vacant due to the retirement of fire marshal and emergency management coordinator, Thomas Mock. "He was an excellent fire marshal and very pleasant to work with," said Harrison County Judge Chad Sims. "We really appreciated his service. We wish him the best." Mock's last day will be Friday. He's served in the position since 2009 and has assisted in acquiring and administering over $400,000 in federal grants for the office. The fire marshal said he's enjoyed serving the county. "I've got almost 29 years in the fire service," he said of his career in Harrison as well as Gregg County.  

Students at the Tyler ISD Fire Academy are getting a head start in their future career as firefighters with hands-on experience in the field. Today, a group from the Career and Technology Center learned how quickly a fire spreads by watching one engulf a house. The fire academy instructor ignited hay inside the mock dollhouse so students could watch the process of heat transfer and smoke production. When students graduate from the program they can enroll at Tyler Junior College with one semester already done.  

A chemical reaction caused a building evacuation Wednesday morning in Allen, fire officials say. Hazardous materials crews responded to reports of a substance seen bubbling from the ground in an industrial area of Allen. The incident was reported about 10 a.m. near a warehouse on the 1200 block of Andrews Parkway. Two chemicals were mixed together in a lab inside the facility and there was a reaction that caused a container to break, allowing the mixture to spill onto the floor, Allen Fire Chief Jonathan Boyd said. No one was injured or exposed to the chemical, Boyd said. Authorities evacuated the building and cut its power. Firefighters entered and put a neutralizing agent on the chemical, Boyd said. He added there was no threat to people in the surrounding area.  

Firefighters from Texas and from across the country have gathered in Wichita County to take their wildfire knowledge to the next level. The Wichita Falls and Burkburnett Fire Departments are hosting their 5th annual wildfire academy where they will learn new techniques on how to combat fires. "We have anywhere from basic wildfire firefighting to the basic of the basic, the newest of the newest classes all the way up to advanced management type courses," WFFD assistant fire marshal Jared Burchett said. Firefighters learn everything from tactics, to managing large scale disasters such as hurricanes and massive wildfires. Five years ago organizers decided this type of training needed to be closer to home. "It allows for local responders to be able to participate without having to travel out," Burchett said.  

VIDEO: Two adults were critically injured after a massive fire tore through part of a high-rise in the Brentwood area Wednesday morning, the same building which was the site of a fire more than six years ago. Helicopters were used to rescue several residents who fled up to the roof for safety. The blaze broke out at Barrington Plaza, a 25-story residential building located at 11740 Wilshire Blvd. a little after 8:30 a.m., according to the Los Angeles Fire Department. The fire broke out in a seventh floor unit, with heavy flames and smokes billowing hundreds of feet into the air. There were initially unconfirmed reports that people may have been forced to jump out of the building. Aerial footage showed at least one person standing outside a window. However, in a morning briefing, LAFD Deputy Chief Armando Hogan told reporters that there were no jumpers.  

To better protect the residents of Lower Pottsgrove Township and nearby communities, Ringing Hill Fire Company has launched a comprehensive volunteer recruitment campaign. A new slogan, "Reach New Heights at the Hill," will be used to promote all the opportunities volunteers can gain at Ringing Hill Fire Company, or as volunteers call it, The Hill. The new tagline and website will be incorporated into all print and electronic marketing materials used to inspire the public to volunteer. The three words that best describe Ringing Hill volunteers — "Respectful, Responsive, Ready" — will also be prevalent. Ringing Hill's recruitment campaign runs through 2022 and is no cost to taxpayers. It is funded entirely through the Staffing for Adequate Fire & Emergency Response (SAFER) grant by the Federal Emergency Management Agency.  

Jester Estates is a scenic neighborhood of about 900 homes in northwest Austin, surrounded by walking trails and just 10 miles from downtown. It is also one of the areas of central Texas that is most vulnerable to wildfires, according to firefighters. But it is not the only high risk area in Austin. The 2019 Wildfire Risk Report ranks the city as the fifth-highest risk in the US for a major wildfire incident, and compares it to Australia, which has been ravaged by devastating brush fires. Firefighters from California, who have direct experience of dealing with deadly brush fires, met with concerned residents of Jester Estates on Wednesday and had their own comparison – their home state. And it turns out that cedar doesn't just make you sick, it could also help to spark a wildfire.  

The International Association of Fire Chiefs (IAFC) has responded to the Wuhan coronavirus outbreak, which has affected at least five people in the United States, by compiling a list of resources and guidelines for fire and EMS leaders. The IAFC encouraged chiefs to review documents prepared by agencies and organizations, including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and World Health Organization (WHO), and added that the list would be updated as new information is made available. "(The CDC and WHO) consider the 2019 Novel Coronavirus (2019-nCoV) to be a very serious public health threat. However, based on current information, the CDC and WHO have stated that the immediate health risk from 2019-nCoV to the general American public is considered low at this time," the IAFC said in a statement.  

When the roster of Niagara Falls firefighters is posted later today, for the first time in 50 years there won't be a Fontanella on the list. The half century run of the Fontanella family as Cataract City blazebusters came to an end on Wednesday with the retirement of Battalion Chief Mark Fontanella. The 32-year veteran was given a final salute by a phalanx of firefighters at the Royal Avenue Fire Station. "We shared about 12 years together," Fontanella said of his firefighting career with his father, Thomas. "We worked opposite shifts, but one time they overlapped and we went on one call together." It was his dad who encouraged Fontanella to take the firefighter civil service test. He called it, "The best thing that ever happened to me." Fontanella's first day on the job was Feb.1, 1988. He worked his way up the ranks from firefighter to fire captain, to training chief and finally battalion chief for platoon 2. "Thirty-two years, you know, that's a pretty full career," Fontanella said.