Joshua Brandes with the Irving Fire Department was killed in a motorcycle crash while off duty, the department confirmed Tuesday. Brandes was a Fire Equipment Operator and Paramedic with the Irving FD. The department said Brandes died following a motorcycle accident Tuesday afternoon on FM 51 South near Lynch Bend Road in Springtown. "Members of the IFD Honor Guard are standing watch over FEO Brandes currently and will continue to do so until burial. We have a long road ahead of us and I'll try to be as forthcoming as possible regarding details as they become available," the department said in a statement. Brandes was also a police officer for Decatur PD for 3 years and a School Resource Officer last school year, according to Decatur Police Chief Delvon Campbell.  

Temple Fire and Rescue and EMS responded to a plant explosion with multiple injuries at Delta Centrifugal at 3402 Center St. on Tuesday. "Right now we know that there was an explosion involving one of the furnaces inside the manufacturing plant," said Santos Soto, Temple Fire Department Public Information Officer. "It did injure five persons. They have been transferred to the hospital with severe burns." Soto added that the injuries are not believed to be life threatening. According to facility staff, the explosion involved an induction furnace containing approximately 10,000 lbs. of molten metal that was being heated to 2,900 degrees. It is not yet known what caused the explosion. Delta Centrifugal is a business that produces metal castings.  

VIDEO: The Honey Grove Fire Department added another ambulance to their fleet. The ambulance went into service on Tuesday and will be one of three to serve the county. Back in June, it was announced Allegiance Mobile Health would establish ambulance bases in Honey Grove and Leonard after Fannin County officials ended Bonham EMS ambulance services outside city limits.  

PHOTO: The Bedford Fire Department's F.A.L.S.E. Alarm Clown Gang kicked off fire prevention season Tuesday morning with a visit to Bedford Heights Elementary School. The clowns performed a skit that engaged children while teaching essential fire and life safety skills aimed at preventing fire hazards and loss of life. Over the next week, the clown gang will visit other elementary schools in the Hurst-Euless-Bedford Independent School District, culminating in a performance at the department's annual open house on October 12, 2024, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Central Fire Station located at 1816 Bedford Road, according to the Bedford Fire Department.  

VIDEO/PHOTOS: Video taken Tuesday afternoon shows flaming piles of old railroad ties. Approved drone video was captured by WXOW of the fire at the Omaha Track facility on French Island. Firefighters from multiple departments have been on the scene at the business off of Bainbridge Street for more than 15 hours attempting to put out the fire. Through the video, you can see firefighters spraying water on the piles of railroad ties. No injuries have been reported so far.  

VIDEOS/PHOTOS: Hurricane Helene laid waste to the southeastern United States. Its sheer wind force and deadly floods left behind a path of destruction stretching over 500 miles from Florida to the Southern Appalachians. In just 48 hours, vast swaths of the region became unrecognizable. The storm has caused at least 130 deaths, and officials fear the toll could rise as many people remain unaccounted for. Communities were cut off and stranded as floodwaters washed away hundreds of roads, buildings, homes and vehicles. Communication infrastructure is in shreds. Millions of people have also lost power and access to water across at least six states. Helene's path of devastation started on Florida's Gulf Coast, as it traveled to the Big Bend.  

VIDEO: Stopping sideshows with a piece of plastic—that's what traffic safety advocates are pushing in the city of Sacramento. They're called "armadillos" because the curved roadway dividers resemble the small animal with an armored shell. The plastic bumps get a driver's attention if they're run over, and at high speed, they could cause a tire to loose traction. Cities like St. Louis have installed them along bike lanes. Now, traffic safety advocate Isaac Gonzalez said they could also be placed in Sacramento intersections to prevent reckless driving. "This discourages people from being able to do burnouts, donuts, sideshows," said Gonzalez, founder of Slow Down Sacramento. Margarita Chavez is sick of seeing sideshows in her south Sacramento neighborhood. Many nearby intersections are covered with burnt-out tire marks.  

VIDEO: The City of Hattiesburg unveiled the reconstruction of its first fire ladder truck. Restoring the 85-year-old truck became a passion project for the Hub City in the last 10 years. The truck, which was purchased in 1939, had been sitting in disrepair since the early 2000s. The project to restore the truck began after Sherrocko Stewart became the fire chief in 2018. Several local businesses and organizations helped locate and build new parts for the vehicle. "When I saw the project, I knew that I needed to be a part of it. I want to see it through. So, we went through the process. It took years, but we finally completed it last year," said Stewart. The truck is named "The Barksdale," after former Fire Chief Ed Barksdale.