fire

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Hong Kong Fire Survivor: Our Windows Were Covered

And he says no alarm sounded

(Newser) - As the death toll continues to mount in Hong Kong's deadliest fire in decades, the New York Times describes one survivor's chance escape. The Wang Fuk Court high-rise complex had been under renovation for more than a year, and Lau Yu Hung, 78, says most of his 19th-floor...

3 Arrested in Connection With Hong Kong Fire
3 Arrested in Connection
With Hong Kong Fire
UPDATED
Nov 27, 2025 6:41 AM CST

3 Arrested in Connection With Hong Kong Fire

Construction company execs accused of gross negligence in high-rise fire that killed at least 55

(Newser) - Hong Kong's deadliest fire in decades burned through the night, leaving at least 55 people dead and 290 missing as of 6pm local time Thursday, reports the Guardian . Police arrested three men on suspicion of manslaughter in connection with the fire which began Wednesday afternoon in a housing complex...

Almost 300 Missing in Hong Kong High-Rise Fire

Death toll hits 36 in city's deadliest fire in decades

(Newser) - Hong Kong's deadliest fire in decades blazed late into the night on Wednesday as the city's leader confirmed at least 36 people, including a firefighter, had died and another 279 people were reported missing. Hundreds of residents were evacuated as the blaze spread across seven high-rise apartment buildings...

Deadly Inferno Engulfs 7 Hong Kong High-Rises

At least 13 people have been killed and others are trapped

(Newser) - A fire spread across seven high-rise apartment buildings in a Hong Kong housing complex Wednesday, killing at least 13 people, including a firefighter, and leaving others still trapped. Authorities said nine people were declared dead at the scene and four others who were sent to the hospital were later confirmed...

LA Issues Shelter-in-Place Order as Cargo Ship Burns

Officials are concerned over the hazardous materials on board

(Newser) - A fire that broke out aboard a Los Angeles container ship on Friday continued to burn overnight, prompting a shelter-in-place order for surrounding communities over concerns about hazardous materials within the ship's cargo. All 23 crew members of the One Henry Hudson were accounted for and there were no...

Right at Rush Hour in DC, Fire in the Capitol Subway

Small electrical blaze was quickly contained in tunnel linking congressional offices

(Newser) - A minor fire sparked a brief scare in the subway tunnel connecting the Rayburn House Office Building and the US Capitol on Thursday, according to Capitol Police. The electrical fire was quickly doused with fire extinguishers before 5pm, reports NBC Washington . Two Capitol Police officers were taken to a nearby...

Fire Disrupts UN Climate Talks
Fire Stops UN Climate Talks
Nov 20, 2025 7:12 PM CST

Fire Stops UN Climate Talks

13 people are treated for smoke inhalation at Brazil site

(Newser) - A fire at the COP30 climate summit in Brazil forced the evacuation of thousands of delegates and disrupted negotiations on Thursday, just as negotiators were to press for an international roadmap way from fossil fuels. Organizers reported that 13 people were treated onsite for smoke inhalation after the fire broke...

Huge Fire Destroys Landmark Croatian Tower

The 16-story Vjesnik skyscraper in Zagreb was gutted, but no one was injured

(Newser) - A huge fire broke out in a landmark skyscraper in the downtown area of the Croatian capital, Zagreb, gutting the building but leaving no casualties. The building was known as the Vjesnik tower after a popular newspaper that was published there until some 12 years ago, reports the AP . The...

Man's Power Bank Explodes in Pocket at Aussie Airport

Traveler hospitalized with minor burns after incident in Qantas business lounge in Melbourne

(Newser) - A man suffered minor burns after a power bank exploded in his pocket in a business lounge in Melbourne's main airport, prompting an evacuation and brief chaos among travelers. The incident occurred Thursday in the Qantas Airways lounge, where witnesses described panic as smoke filled the area and the...

Employees Describe Chaos in Aftermath of UPS Crash

Crash leaves at least 12 dead, with toll likely to rise as 14 are still missing

(Newser) - Workers at businesses near Louisville's airport are describing chaos and scenes of devastation after a UPS cargo plane crashed Tuesday shortly after takeoff, killing at least a dozen people and leaving others missing. "It was explosion after explosion after explosion, so you just didn't know when it...

At Least 23 Are Killed in Fire, Blast at Convenience Store

Cause of death in Mexican city appears to be toxic gases, official says

(Newser) - A fire and explosion at a convenience store in northwestern Mexico killed at least 23 people, including children, and injured 12 others, state authorities said. The fire occurred Saturday in downtown Hermosillo, the capital of Sonora state, Gov. Alfonso Durazo said in a video posted on social media. Six people...

Hotel Owner, 10 Others Get Life Sentences

They were convicted of negligence in fire that killed 78 at Turkish ski resort

(Newser) - A ski resort owner and 10 other people, including members of his family, have been sentenced to life in prison over a fire that killed 78 people in northwest Turkey earlier this year. According to state media, the 11 received aggravated life sentences, the harshest sentence under Turkish law, meaning...

Va. Governor Candidate's Bus Bursts Into Flames

No injuries in incident days before Virginia election between Earle-Sears, rival Spanberger

(Newser) - Virginia Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears' campaign for governor hit an unexpected snag on Thursday when her bus caught fire en route to an event. "Everyone is safe," Earle-Sears assured in a statement on X , thanking first responders for their swift reaction, per the Hill . The incident occurred just...

They 'Barely Escaped' Boat Fire, Only to Be Stranded 30 Hours

Family rescued from small island off Cape Cod after suffering from burns and exposure

(Newser) - A family whose boat caught fire near Cape Cod had to swim for their lives, ending up marooned on a remote island for more than 30 hours before their rescue Wednesday. Patrick and Cynthia Sullivan and their son, Tyler, set out from Falmouth's Eel Pond on Friday aboard a...

SC Couple's Fiery Halloween Decor Keeps Fooling Neighbors

Illusion of flames, smoke triggers emergency calls nightly from folks who think home is on fire

(Newser) - A South Carolina couple's Halloween decorations are causing such a stir that neighbors keep calling 911, mistakenly thinking the home is on fire. Sam Lee and Amanda Riggins Peden, known in Fountain Inn for their extravagant spooky displays, have taken things up a notch this year, per USA ...

Fire at Aluminum Plant Puts Automakers in Supply Crunch

Upstate NY plant supplied around 40% of sheet aluminum used by US automakers

(Newser) - A major fire at a plant responsible for nearly 40% of the aluminum sheet used by US automakers has caused supply chain problems that could take months to untangle. The Sept. 16 fire at the Novelis plant in Oswego, New York rendered a key part of the facility unusable...

Massive Fire Erupts at California Refinery

It's not yet clear what caused blaze at Chevron refinery

(Newser) - Fire crews were battling massive flames at a Chevron refinery just outside of Los Angeles on Thursday night, the AP reports. California Gov. Gavin Newsom's office confirmed on the social platform X that the large fire had erupted at the company's refinery in El Segundo. The company did...

CEO Gets 15 Years After Fatal Fire at Battery Plant

Aricell chief Park Soon-kwan's son also got a 15-year prison sentence after blaze that killed 23

(Newser) - The CEO of a lithium battery manufacturer in South Korea is headed to the clink after one of his company's factories went up in flames last year, killing 23. Park Soon-kwan, head of Aricell, was sentenced to 15 years behind bars on Tuesday, in what NBC News says is...

Cafe's Lack of Mayo Sparks Arson, and Hellmann's Steps In

Company offers to cover repairs to Spanish cafe and provide mayonnaise in future

(Newser) - Mayonnaise giant Hellmann's has stepped in, promising no more dry sandwiches at a cafe in Spain, after a customer denied the condiment allegedly set fire to the place. The drama unfolded at Cafetería Las Postas in Sevilla, where the customer's initial request for a couple of...

When Wildfire Smoke Sickens Firefighters, Help Isn't a Given
By Age 24, His
Firefighting Days
Had Cost Him Big
LONGFORM
Sep 20, 2025 5:30 AM CDT

By Age 24, His Firefighting Days Had Cost Him Big

NYT deep dive looks at contract firefighters and cancer risks, lack of safety nets battling wildfires

(Newser) - Joel Eisiminger had spent six years fighting wildfires in the rugged backcountry, enduring smoke, rashes, and exhaustion—until, at 24, his body suddenly gave out. In July 2024, while helping protect homes in Northern California, Eisiminger's face suddenly went slack. He ignored it at first, but he soon...

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