VIDEO: A southwest Houston warehouse storing dollar-store goods burned in a three-alarm fire that sent thick, black smoke into the air late Thursday morning. Houston Fire Department said crews were able to contain the fire at 3973 Arc St., which is near Westpark and Gessner. The fire was first reported at about 8:50 a.m. According to Deputy Fire Chief Roger Westhoff, the fire was initially reported outside of the building before the flames moved inside. Firefighters faced some challenges when they arrived due to narrow areas and power lines around the warehouse, Westhoff said. Due to the access issues, Westhoff said crews had to go into defensive operations to attack the fire. While the fire department was able to contain the fire from spreading to neighboring businesses and an apartment complex, firefighters also faced challenges from the outdoor environment.  

An abandoned home was declared a total loss after a fire consumed it Thursday night in southwest Austin. The City of Austin Fire Department said a homeowner reported a structure was on fire around 8:30 p.m. at the 7500 block of Old Bee Cave Road near Highway 290. When fire crews arrived, they noticed there were significant flames extending into the nearby brush and immediately worked to put out the blaze. Batallion Chief David Gerard said they did have limited access and the best way to get the fire under control was through the caller's backyard since the house on fire was located in a wooded area. Locating a nearby water supply was also a challenge and crews ended up using the relay water supply to get the fire under control. "The 1200-square foot home looked like it had not been lived in for a considerable amount of time," Gerard said.  

Governor Greg Abbott has announced that Texas is sending additional emergency response resources and personnel to Louisiana to support Hurricane Ida recovery efforts. The Texas Military Department (TMD) and the Texas Division of Emergency Management (TDEM) have deployed additional resources and personnel to support response and recovery efforts at the request of the State of Louisiana through the Emergency Management Assistance Compact (EMAC). ... "Texas remembers the generous support offered by Louisianans during Hurricane Harvey four years ago, and we have recognized their need for additional help as they recover from the destruction of Hurricane Ida earlier this week," said Governor Abbott in a news release. "We will continue to help our neighbors in need, just as they did for us."  

Smith County firefighters have responded to a fire. A house fire was reported in the 1800 block of Elmwood in Troup. Firefighters are on the roof and on the ground battling the flames. Fire Marshal Jay Brooks said the house is a total loss. The residents were not home at the time the fire started, he said. Several departments are at the scene, including Smith County ESD, Troup, Noonday, Whitehouse and Arp. The cause of the fire is under investigation. Brooks said that firefighters are dealing with intense heat, so there is an area set up for firefighters to rest and get hydrated.  

Crews are responding Wednesday afternoon to a major gas leak in Baytown, officials said. The leak caused the closure of State Highway 146 in both directions at Cedar Bayou, according to the Baytown Fire Department. Officials said a 4-inch gas main was struck by an excavator. CenterPoint crews are en route to repair the line, however, there is no estimate on repair time. The Baytown Fire Boat is currently in Cedar Bayou providing stand-by and diverting water traffic. Residents are asked to avoid the roadway and waterway at Cedar Bayou under SH 146, which will likely be closed through rush hour, according to Baytown Fire Department. Officials said there are no evacuations or injuries at this time.  

A truck fire shut down a stretch of southbound Interstate 35 Wednesday afternoon in Temple. The 18-wheeler's cab was engulfed in flames on the highway adjacent to the Golden Corral in Temple. Temple Fire & Rescue crews responded at around 2:40 p.m. Wednesday. The driver escaped without injury. The trailer, in which produce is normally hauled, was empty. Police advised motorists to find alternative routes. The cause of the fire is under investigation.  

VIDEO: Sixty years ago this week, one of the largest aviation disasters of its time happened in Chicago's suburbs when a flight from Midway Airport went down minutes after take-off. Few may remember the tragedy. It was September 1, 1961. TWA Flight 529 was hopscotching across the country. It had just taken off from Midway Airport and was headed for Las Vegas. Frank Trout was a 17-year-old volunteer firefighter back then. Just after 2 a.m., the siren sounded and summoned his squad to a farm field just West of Route 83. "We were totally unprepared for anything like this," Trout said. "We went looking for anyone who was alive. Some people were still strapped in their seats." All 78 souls aboard died that day. It was, at the time, the deadliest single-plane disaster in US history. And it happened near the height of the U.S. crisis with Cuba.  

City leaders are working to make every 911 call just a little more efficient. Thousands of calls come in to the dispatch center every day. But what happens when there is a language barrier during that emergency call? "Sometimes, we have trouble communicating and finding out the information we need," said Ronnie Sturch, Jonesboro E911 Director. He said bringing in a system that provides translators would make the process easier in an emergency. Sturch spoke with some of the dispatchers - they said they usually have an average of 10 calls a month where there is some type of language barrier. Right now, they are doing what they can to make sure the caller receives the help they need. Sturch is in the process of working with Voiance, a company that provides translators for 911 and non-emergency calls.  

September 1st marks the start of National Recovery Month. National Recovery Month is observed annually in September to give communities resources for individuals recovering from drug abuse. The theme for this year's recovery month is, "Recovery is for Everyone: Every Person, Every Family, Every Community." Right now, the Bluefield Fire Department treats one overdose a day. Bluefield Fire Chief Chad Bailey feels disheartened about the epidemic. "It's horrible. That's someone's loved one that's struggling with drugs. And drugs can take over their thinking process," Chief Bailey said. For an individual to be administered Narcan, a patient has to go through an assessment by first responders. "We receive a call that the patient is acting strange or not breathing, we perform a patient assessment and take vitals. After that, we then determine if we can administer the Narcan," Bailey said.  

An 8-year-old boy decided to give his lemonade stand earnings away for a huge cause: a real-life fire truck for his community. Andrea Dembeck, from Danville, Pennsylvania, told FOX News that her third grader Andrew decided he wanted to run a lemonade stand this summer to help the Friendship Fire Company's efforts to get a new ladder truck. The Friendship Fire Company has been raising money for a new ladder truck since at least June 18, 2020, according to a GoFundMe page. According to the page, the truck is expected to cost $1.3 million. Dembeck told FOX that Andrew had done a lemonade stand two summers ago, before the coronavirus pandemic and when she suggested doing another stand this summer, she said Andrew "couldn't wait to do it."  

Health officials are watching another new coronavirus variant, dubbed "mu," which they say has concerning mutations that could allow it to escape vaccine-induced immunity. The variant, also known as B.1.621, was first detected in Colombia in January 2021, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). On Monday (Aug. 30), WHO classified it as a "variant of interest," or VOI, and named it mu. The VOI label means the variant is increasing in prevalence in multiple areas and has mutations that are likely to affect viral characteristics, such as transmissibility or disease severity, Live Science previously reported. In contrast, officials use the term "variant of concern," or VOC, once reliable data show that the variant has increased transmissibility — such as what's been seen with the delta variant — or other worrisome features, such as the ability to evade vaccines.