Tag Archives: fire

Guns and Hoses Basketball Charity Game to pit cops against firefighters

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JOPLIN, Mo. – John Boyd of Bright Futures Joplin talked with Michael Hayslip about the upcoming Guns and Hoses Basketball Game. It pits the Joplin Police Department against the Joplin Fire Department in a game that raises money for Bright Futures Joplin.

“Our goal is to raise as much money as we can with this one big bash, in order to be ready to help kids succeed during the 2021-22 school year, which is right around the corner,” said Bright Futures Joplin Coordinator Sarah Coyne. “Knowing that sponsors and friends are going to come out and have a great time is fantastic, and it helps us get our budget in line so we know what we’re up against for the coming year.”

The game is scheduled for 7 p.m. Saturday, May 1, at the Joplin High School Gym, 2104 Indiana. Doors will open at 5:30 p.m. Tickets are free for kids and students, and $5 for adults.

Suspect arrested after fire at Cape Girardeau church

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CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. – Fire officials say a fire at a Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saint in Cape Girardeau is being investigated as a possible arson.

Police arrested a suspect after the fire, which began Sunday night. No one was injured. Flames engulfed the church shortly after firefighters arrived.

The church’s stake director, Kevin Dickson, said he was grateful no one was inside the building when the fire broke out. He says the church was special to its members but it can be rebuilt.

Pittsburg police chase ends with vehicle ablaze

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PITTSBURG, Kan. – A police chase in Pittsburg, Kansas Wednesday morning results in a vehicle fire and two suspects behind bars.

According to a press release from the Pittsburg Police Department, the incident began at 10:40 a.m. near the 200 block of E 24th Terrace in Pittsburg. An officer attempted to stop a spray painted Ford Fusion. The car didn’t pull over led police on a chase to N Joplin St. and then to E 20th St where it went into the south bound alley. It continued to flee down alleys until it crashed into a fence and a pole in the 1600 block of N Joplin St. The suspects fled the scene foot

After the crash the vehicle began smoking and caught fire. Pittsburg Fire Department responded to the scene and extinguished the flames. Investigators the vehicle was reported stolen out of rural Crawford County in early April. They found illegal drugs believed to methamphetamine and associated paraphernalia left in the car.

Police arrested both the driver and the passenger of the vehicle. Authorities identified the driver as 29-year-old John Robertson Jr. and the passenger as 22-year-old Kaitlyn McMurry, both of Pittsburg.

 

Robertson was arrested for felony possession of stolen property, felony possession of methamphetamine, felony flee and elude, felony interference with law enforcement, misdemeanor possession of drug paraphernalia, no valid driver’s license, and a warrant out of the City of Frontenac. He’s held in the Crawford County Jail on $3,435 bond.

McMurry was placed under arrest for felony possession of methamphetamine, misdemeanor possession of drug paraphernalia, an Allan County Kansas felony warrant, two Crawford County probation violation warrants, and a City of Pittsburg Warrant. She’s also booked at the Crawford County Jail but with no bond.

 

Police say the investigation remains ongoing.

Identity released in Crawford County house fire death investigation

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CRAWFORD COUNTY, Kan. – Authorities release the identity of a woman found dead in a Crawford County house fire.

Authorities positively identified the victim as Sara Etzold, 39, of Mulberry, Kansas. A coroner is conducting an autopsy to determine official cause of death and the investigation is ongoing.

On April 4, 2021, around 3:41 a.m., the Crawford County Sheriff’s Office responded to a 911 call about a house fire.

Deputies, EMS and Fire responded to the fire at 143 South 250th Street.

While putting out the fire, they found a deceased adult victim in the home.

State Fire Marshal investigators are looking into the cause of the fire.

(Previous article: Crawford County Sheriff conducting death investigation after fire)

Broadway blocked-off as Pittsburg crews battle apartment fire

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PITTSBURG, Kan. – The City of Pittsburg says the fire at a downtown apartment building is under control.

Heavy smoke billowed out of the Smith Clinic Apartments on 8th and Broadway this morning. Emergency responders blocked off part of the road while battling the fire. Frontenac and Baker Township fire departments are helping. KOAM has not heard of any injuries. Authorities say all residents were safely evacuated.

One resident who lives in the apartment said the fire broke out early in the morning.

The Pittsburg Fire Department is currently responding to a fire at the SE corner of 9th & Broadway in downtown…

Posted by City of Pittsburg, Kansas on Friday, March 19, 2021

“I woke up, and I was napping pretty good,” said Chris who lives in the Smith Clinic Apartments. “All I hear is someone yell ‘water’ and I was like ‘bud pay your water bill if you ain’t got water.’ It wasn’t water, it was fire! Someone was yelling fire. We come to the door and the firemen are yelling ‘you need to get out!’ We’re like screaming, just running down the hallway, can’t breathe for nothing. We get to the stairs. We’re just choking on the smoke.”

There’s no word yet on whether there are any injuries. The Pittsburg Fire Department will release more information later today.

WATCH: Van pulling a trailer bursts into flames

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FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – Authorities in Arkansas dealt with an unusual vehicle fire last week.

Fayetteville police say a white van pulling a trailer burst into flames while on the move. One officer tried to contain the blaze with a fire extinguisher while waiting for fire crews to arrive. Officials say weather conditions were favorable. Had it been windy and dry, the flames may have spread.

There were no injuries reported in this incident. Fire department officials say the van likely overheated.

Joplin approves resource management studies of police and fire departments

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JOPLIN, Mo. – Joplin City Council Monday approved contracts for studies to look at the best use of resources of the police and fire departments.

For the police department, council approved a contract with Etico Solutions for $39,000. That company’s study of the department is expected to be completed in November.

For the fire department, council approved a $37,500 dollar contract with a firm called Canfield Jenkins and Associates. Officials expect that study to be done after June.

“This is part of an action plan which is part of a larger vision to improve service to the community,” said Joplin City Manager Nick Edwards. “That’s primarily why we are here to provide that service certainly our public safety service, our critical services that we need to mindful of.”

The council also looked at a design for a new logo. The design shown today was tabled with a new design expected to be shown at a later meeting.

Pittsburg fire department builds ‘training tower’ to hone firefighting skills

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PITTSBURG, Kan. – Pittsburg firefighters are getting a new place to practice their life-saving skills.

The department is building a training tower on North Rouse St. The new tower will be used for ground ladder training and will feature tubes to help train for fighting fires in confined spaces.

“I’ve had people banging on my door trying to line up training for the day it is done,” said Pittsburg Fire Chief Dennis Reilly. “So I anticipate this prop will get a lot of use out folks will be out here on a regular basis doing all those different types of training.”

The department says they expect construction to be finished within a few days.