The deadly Tech Terrace fire that killed two people started at the rear of the structure under the carport in Lubbock, Texas. The heat from the fire "impinged on several cylinders of compressed gas," causing them to explode.

Tech Terrace explosions caused by fire heating cylinders of compressed gas 

Thursday, March 29th 2018, 10:56 pm EDT
By KCBD Digital







Source: Caleb Holder, KCBD

Back yard of house next door to explosion site (Source: Caleb Holder, KCBD)

Back yard of house next door to explosion site (Source: Caleb Holder, KCBD)

Back yard of house next door to explosion site (Source: Caleb Holder, KCBD)

Source: Caleb Holder, KCBD
LUBBOCK, TX (KCBD) -

Lubbock fire investigators released their initial report on Thursday night, as they work to determine the cause of a deadly fire and house explosion in Tech Terrace.

The report says a fire started at the rear of the structure under the carport. The heat from the fire "impinged on several cylinders of compressed gas," causing them to explode. The first cylinders exploded just before Lubbock firefighters arrived on scene. Explosions continued as other cylinders reached an overpressure point.

Our crew grabbed a photo of an exploded metal tank in the driveway of the home next door.

Here's the full statement from Lubbock Fire Rescue:


Late this afternoon, the group of fire investigators completed their initial examination of the fire scene. They report that a fire of unknown origin started at the rear of the structure, under the carport area. The heat from the initial fire then impinged on several cylinders of compressed gas. The cylinders reached an overpressure point and exploded just prior to the arrival of Lubbock Fire Rescue. Several other explosions occurred as other cylinders reached the point of overpressure over the next several minutes as firefighters fought to bring it under control.

Determination of the initial cause of the fire was severely hampered by damage caused by the exploding cylinders. Today’s scene examination is part of an overall investigation into this incident that will be ongoing. Information will be forthcoming as it becomes available.

Lubbock Fire Rescue wishes to express our sympathy to the families of the deceased and those injured in this incident. We also want to express our gratitude to the agencies previously mentioned as well as the Lubbock Police Department and others that provided assistance.

LFR Hazmat was call back to the scene for about two hours on Thursday and left at 5:30 p.m.

We will continue to update this story as more details are released.

The explosion happened just before 10 p.m. Tuesday night at a home in the 2900 block of 21st Street.

Witnesses said the explosion was felt several blocks away. Windows in the house across the street were shattered by the blast. A house on the corner of 21st & Canton actually had a piece of debris from the explosion land on their roof.

According to the Lubbock Police Department, multiple victims were found at the scene when they arrived.

One of the victims, 72-year-old John Fleming, was pronounced deceased at the scene, while three additional victims were taken to University Medical Center by ambulance with serious injuries. Officials say 45-year-old Rodica Gelca, one of the three taken to the hospital, was later pronounced deceased at UMC. Officials say Gelca was trying to help put out the fire.

The additional two people who were transported are expected to recover, according to officials. Three Lubbock firefighters were also taken to the hospital with minor injuries and have since been released from the hospital.

According to our research, John Flemming owned the home and ran the business E2Amm LLC out of the home. The company manufactures hydrogen and ammonia modules. At this time, authorities have not said if the chemicals in the home caused the explosion.

Although there were some concerns about possible hazardous materials at the scene, Lubbock Fire Rescue issued a statement on Wednesday afternoon to try and "dispel any rumors of chemicals in the air in this area."

Fire investigators have not identified a cause of the fire at this time, but they say it "is not believed to be criminal in nature."

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LUBBOCK, TX (NEWS RELEASE) - The following is a news release from Lubbock Fire Rescue:

On Tuesday, March 27th, 2018 Lubbock Fire Rescue responded to 2910 21st street at approximately 9:54 PM for a reported structure fire. Upon arrival, units found heavy fire issuing from the residence. During firefighting operations, multiple explosions occurred on scene.

As reported on Wednesday, Investigators from the Lubbock Fire Marshal’s Office, State Fire Marshal’s Office and Federal Agents from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives began an intensive examination of the scene to attempt to determine what caused this unfortunate incident.

Late this afternoon, the group of fire investigators completed their initial examination of the fire scene. They report that a fire of unknown origin started at the rear of the structure, under the carport area. The heat from the initial fire then impinged on several cylinders of compressed gas. The cylinders reached an overpressure point and exploded just prior to the arrival of Lubbock Fire Rescue. Several other explosions occurred as other cylinders reached the point of overpressure over the next several minutes as firefighters fought to bring it under control.



Determination of the initial cause of the fire was severely hampered by damage caused by the exploding cylinders. Today’s scene examination is part of an overall investigation into this incident that will be ongoing. Information will be forthcoming as it becomes available.

Lubbock Fire Rescue wishes to express our sympathy to the families of the deceased and those injured in this incident. We also want to express our gratitude to the agencies previously mentioned as well as the Lubbock Police Department and others that provided assistance.

(News release from Lubbock Fire Rescue)

Jan Barbara Karner, 76, died in her recliner from fire caused by smoking material in Littleton, Mass.

LITTLETON, Mass. (CBS) — A fire in Littleton that killed a 76-year-old woman on New Year’s Day was sparked by smoking materials, the State Fire Marshal said Wednesday.

“The fire began in the first floor living room and the victim was found in her recliner. She was known to be a heavy smoker,” said a statement released by the Fire Mashal, District Attorney and Littleton Fire/Police Departments.

The woman was identified as Jan Karner. Her husband escaped the fire and was treated for smoke inhalation.


The home on King Street after the fire Monday morning. (WBZ-TV)

Fire crews who responded to the King Street home in January said hoarding made it difficult to fight the blaze.


The smoke alarms on the first and second floor were destroyed in the fire, according to the Fire Marshal, so it is unknown whether or not they were working. A smoke alarm in the basement was expired but potentially went off, although expired alarms should not be relied upon.

This was the first of five deaths in 2018 caused the improper use or disposal of smoking materials, according to the Fire Marshal. In 2017, there were 14.



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Elderly Woman Killed In House Fire Linked To Hoarding
January 1, 2018 at 12:32 pm

 
LITTLETON (CBS) – The New Year began on a tragic note in Littleton Monday morning as an elderly woman died in a house fire.

Firefighters were called to a home on King Street around 5:15 a.m. where they found heavy flames on the first floor.

A person came out and told them that a woman was still inside.

But years of hoarding by the residents caused a problem for firefighters.


The home on King Street after the fire Monday morning. (WBZ-TV)

“There was an overabundance of accumulated materials throughout the home. So it was definitely a bit of a challenge to get in there,” Littleton Fire Chief Scott Wodzinski told WBZ-TV.

The woman inside died. Her name has not been made public.

The other person was taken to the hospital.

There is no word yet on how the fire started.

“Everything here today was a challenge. It was about six below zero when I arrived here,” Wodzinksi said.


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Jan Barbara Karner (Age 77) departed this world on January 1, 2018.

Born September 18, 1941 in Montague, MA. to parents Herman Glabach and Gwendolyn Fischer, Jan leaves; sisters Diane Baronas, So. Deerfield, MA., and Gwen Richardson, Long Beach, CA., Husband James Karner, Daughter Allison Gallant, Berlin, NH., Son Todd Karner, Tulalip, WA., and Grandson Kurt Yazici, Seattle, WA..

Jan grew up in Greenfield, MA., where she participated in the Mariners Sailing Club with the Girl Scouts and the YMCA Swim Team. She loved to be outdoors: growing flowers and vegetables, skating, skiing, and walking. She enjoyed being out in any sort of weather. Before health issues impaired Jan's movement, she taught ballet and performed with a local dance school. Jan was an ardent writer and spent many hours of her day in correspondence with relatives and friends. She published poems and briefs in local newspapers. Jan's love of life and compassion for understanding will continue to inspire persons she touched.

Steep water, cascading falls.
Low pools stagnant and silted.
Brimmed hat, I sit in between.

A memorial service where friends and family can come together to remember and celebrate Jan's life will be held at the Badger Funeral Home, 347 King Street, Littleton at a later date. In lieu of flowers, the family has requested that memorial contributions be made in Jan's memory to:

Littleton Council on Aging
33 Shattuck Street
Littleton, Massachusetts 01460

65-year-old Rae-Ellen Mahnke and her three dogs died in fire that was caused by careless use of smoking materials

Mahnke’s death was caused by smoke/soot inhalation and carbon dioxide poisoning.
 
RACINE — Fire officials have released the cause of Sunday’s fatal fire that left a Racine woman and her three dogs dead.


The fire was determined to be caused by careless use of smoking materials, according to the Racine Fire Department.


At 6:22 a.m. Sunday, Racine Fire Department firefighters responded to a call of smoke in the area of the 2500 Block of Taylor Avenue, according to the Fire Department.


Upon arrival, fire crews identified the location at 2901 Gilson St. and quickly attacked the fire, which was venting through an open bedroom window.


Fire crews were required to force open both locked doors to gain entry. After making entry, the crew from Quint 4 radioed that there was “a lot of debris inside the house” and began searching for and locating a female patient, later identified as 65-year-old Rae-Ellen Mahnke.


Mahnke was immediately taken from the home to a waiting ambulance, where she was pronounced dead at the scene. Mahnke’s three dogs also died in the fire, fire officials reported.


An autopsy confirmed Mahnke’s death was caused by smoke/soot inhalation and carbon dioxide poisoning.


In the home, remnants of a smoke alarm were present, but investigators were unable to locate the complete mechanism after the fire.


The Fire Department reminds the public to take a few minutes to verify that home smoke alarms are in working order and advises that people should never smoke where they sleep.



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RACINE — The identity of the woman killed in Sunday’s fatal morning fire at a south side residence has been released.


Rae Ellen Mahnke, 65, has been identified as the victim killed in the blaze, according to the Racine Fire Department.


At 6:22 a.m. Sunday, firefighters were dispatched to 2901 Gilson St., just east of Taylor Avenue, for a report of a structure fire, according to the Fire Department.


Upon arrival, fire crews initiated a search of the residence and located Mahnke, who subsequently was declared to be deceased. Fire crews also found three deceased pets inside the home, the Fire Department reported.


Fire officials reported that damage was primarily contained to a bedroom, where the fire originated, with smoke and heat damage extending through the rest of the home. Damage is estimated at $70,000. Fire crews secured the property while family contacted their insurance carrier.


Racine police and the county Medical Examiner’s Office assisted at the scene. The cause of the fire remains under investigation, the Fire Department reported Wednesday.

A female employee working at a construction site fell from a second story scaffolding in Salt Lake City in Utah

Woman taken to hospital after fall at construction site in SLC
Mark Green, Updated at 05:26PM, March 28, 2018




SALT LAKE CITY — A construction worker was hospitalized after she fell from scaffolding at a Salt Lake City construction site Wednesday.

The woman fell from the building at roughly 150 North and 400 West, said Salt Lake City fire spokeswoman Audra Sorensen.

Crews took her to Intermountain Medical Center in Murray in an ambulance about 4 p.m. Wednesday, Sorensen said. She fell from the building's west side.

"She fell several feet," Sorensen said. "Whether that was 50 or 100, I don't know." The fire department responds to falls often, she said, but generally not to ones of such magnitude.

The worker's name, the extent of her injuries and the company she works for were not immediately released.

Sorensen urged caution for anyone scaling heights and said it's a good idea to have someone else nearby who can help or call 911 in the event of a fall.

"I think that whether you're cleaning out your rain gutters or painting or working, you have to be very, very mindful that anything can happen," she said.

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SALT LAKE CITY, UT — Firefighters confirm one person was injured in an industrial accident at a construction site in downtown Salt Lake City Wednesday.

Audra Sorensen, a spokesperson for Salt Lake City Fire Department, said there was an industrial accident in the area of 150 North and 400 West shortly after 4 p.m.

Sorensen said a female employee working at a construction site fell from a second story. The woman was taken to a local hospital. No specific information about her condition was immediately available.

A worker was injured after the construction truck he was in fell into a massive sinkhole at Top of the Rock Golf Course in southwestern Missouri

A worker was hospitalized after the construction truck he was in fell into a massive sinkhole at Top of the Rock Golf Course in southwestern Missouri, according to reports.


The Western Taney County Fire Protection District posted on Facebook that the truck went off a ridge Wednesday morning and plunged about 100-150 feet into the sinkhole that opened in 2015. Rescue workers were able to reach the driver on a construction road.


A statement from Bass Pro Shops, whose owner also owns the property on which the golf course sits, said the worker was backing a truck when it slid into hole, the Springfield News-Leader reported. The worker has non-life-threatening injuries, according to the statement.

At approximately 11:09 a.m. Western Taney County Fire Protection District was dispatched to a report of a motor vehicle accident at Top of the Rock golf course in Ridgedale. Initial reports stated a truck went off the ridge of the sinkhole that is currently being excavated on the property. The truck traveled over the edge of the sinkhole and fell approximately 100-150 feet to the bottom. Taney County Ambulance (TCA) was first to arrive and were able to access the patient via a road into the sinkhole. TCA units reported the lone occupant of the vehicle was not trapped but was injured and stable. WTCFPD units arrived and utilized the Kubota UTV to assisted TCA units in packaging and removing the patient from the sinkhole via the construction road. The patient was transported by TCA to a local hospital.
No other injuries were reported. The incident is under investigation by the Missouri State Highway Patrol. WTCFPD does not release the names of victims or patients. For further information please contact the MOSHP or Big Cedar public relations.






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Top of the Rock: In 2014, Morris opened Top of the Rock, which is like a mini theme park for grownups. Probably best known for its golf course, which hosts the Senior PGA Legends of Golf tournament every year, it's also known for the giant sink hole that occurred there. Morris has chosen to keep digging the sinkhole in the hopes of finding a secret passageway and uncovering a massive cave system. Top of the Rock also features the elegant Osage restaurant and a more casual Mexican restaurant fitted into Arnold Palmer’s old barn (moved to the location), a practice golf course, pro shop and the Ancient Ozarks Natural History Museum.


The museum features much of Morris’ own collection of Native American artifacts as well as skeletons of a woolly mammoth, a saber tooth cat, a giant ground sloth and prehistoric cave bears. Throughout, extinct animals like the bear dog and terror bird come to life in dioramas created by the same folks who did the exhibits at Chicago’s Field Museum. Recent additions to the museum include a Civil War room with not only uniforms and weapons, but also a locket with a piece of Abraham Lincoln's hair as well as a flag used in his funeral. It's hard to believe 75,000 treasures sit below the shops and restaurants, stone fireplaces and sculptures that make up Top of the Rock. "It's like the Smithsonian Institution right here in the Ozarks," Jeff Wilhoit said.


If you really want to experience the beauty of the Ozarks, don't miss Lost Canyon Cave and Nature Trail. You rent a golf cart ($25 per adult; $12.50 child) and head off for a one-hour-ish adventure on nature trails where you cross bridges and catch gorgeous vistas. The highlight is when you drive into a cave with a four-story waterfall and a bar with lively bat-named drinks for kids and adults.