Latest news with #HCFR
Yahoo
3 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Vehicle crashes into apartment building near Surfside Beach; residents of 8 units displaced
HORRY COUNTY, S.C. (WBTW) — Residents of eight apartments had to leave their homes overnight after a vehicle crashed into their building near Surfside Beach, according to Horry County Fire Rescue. It happened at about 2:15 a.m. on the 2000 block of Clearwater Drive, HCFR said. There were no serious injuries. A utility crew responded to the scene to help secure the building's power. The South Carolina Highway Patrol, Horry County police and the Surfside Beach Fire Department responded to the scene. No additional information was immediately available. Count on News13 for updates. * * * Dennis Bright is the Digital Executive Producer at News13. He joined the team in May 2021. Dennis is a West Virginia native and a graduate of Marshall University in Huntington, West Virginia. Follow Dennis on Facebook, X, formerly Twitter, and read more of his work here. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
29-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Horry County Fire Rescue, Atlantic Beach police chief offer differing accounts of bike week fights that injured 12
ATLANTIC BEACH, S.C. (WBTW) — Horry County Fire Rescue initiated its mass casualty protocols during a series of fights during Sunday morning's Atlantic Beach bike week festivities in which 12 people were hurt, but the town's police chief still disputes claims of a mass casualty incident. 'There were no mass casualties at the Atlantic Beach Memorial Day Black Pearl Cultural Heritage and Bike Festival on Saturday evening as has been reported. There were a couple of fights that broke out, causing panic in the crowd and several people were injured trying to leave the area,' Chief Carlos Castillo Jr. said on Sunday. 'Adequate police and medical staff were on hand to aid as needed and transport individuals to the hospital.' Horry County Fire Rescue said it was dispatched for a reported disturbance with multiple injuries. 'Because of the increasing number of patients from the initial dispatch, HCFR engaged its mass casualty incident protocols, which includes bringing resources like the Multi-Patient Unit bus to the scene and alerting local hospitals of a possible influx of transports,' HCFR spokesperson Tony Casey said. 'These protocols may be enacted any time HCFR is handling five patients or more on a given incident. Additional to the two on-site ambulances, HCFR Command brought in seven ambulances from across Horry County to handle the patient load, along with other personnel.' 12 people in total were taken to the hospital, all with non-life-threatening injuries, according to HCFR. Six other people signed medical transport waivers. In a statement to News13 on Wednesday, Castillo reiterated that rumors of a mass casualty incident were 'inaccurate, though the situation did cause significant disruption.' 'The injuries sustained were primarily due to the panic — patrons ran to escape the fights, leading to trampling incidents,' Castillo said. 'Emergency medical services (EMS) provided aid, 12 people were transported to the hospital and six additional people signed medical transport waivers. Reports indicate that these injuries were not from a single event but rather from separate fights throughout the festival.' Castillo said the people involved in the altercations fled and could not be located, but that authorities are continuing to investigate. * * * Caleb is a digital producer at News13. Caleb joined the team in January 2023 after graduating from Liberty University. He is from Northern Virginia. Follow Caleb on X, formerly Twitter, and read more of his work here. * * * Adrianna Lawrence is a multimedia journalist at News13. Adrianna is originally from Virginia Beach, Virginia, and joined the News13 team in June 2023 after graduating from Virginia Commonwealth University in May 2023. Keep up with Adrianna on Instagram, Facebook, and X, formerly Twitter. You can also read more of her work here. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
28-05-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
Crews battle more than a dozen fires across Tampa Bay area in the last several days
The Brief The Florida Forest Service said it responded to more than a dozen wildfires across parts of the Tampa Bay area over Memorial Day Weekend. Fire officials don't expect these recent fires to be the last during peak dry season, with June expected to be dryer than usual. Fire officials also warn that as the summer storms pick up, lightning strikes can smolder for a few days before sparking up a brush fire. LAKELAND, Fla. - The Florida Forest Service said it responded to more than a dozen wildfires across parts of the Tampa Bay area over Memorial Day Weekend. Fire officials said recent weather conditions have played a big role in recent fires. "The majority of the fires over the weekend we attribute to lightning," said Todd Chlanda, a wildfire mitigation specialist with the Florida Forest Service's Lakeland District. Follow FOX 13 on YouTube Big picture view Chlanda said they responded to 15 wildfires over the weekend. On Saturday, Hillsborough Couny Fire Rescue responded to a 400-acre brush fire in Alafia River State Park. On Sunday, a bush fire broke out near Balm Riverview Road in Hillsborough County. HCFR said it also responded to a brush fire that was about 10 acres in north Plant City on Monday afternoon. Fire crews said it broke out near Shoupe Road, west of SR-39. RELATED: Florida Forest Service expects busy summer as experts predict prolonged dry season Local perspective Residents in north Plant City spotted smoke near their home Monday afternoon. "One of my neighbors reached out and was like, 'Hey, the woods are on fire behind our houses,'" Trey Larson, the owner of Florida Game Recovery, said. Larson said his drone has a thermal camera and can track heat while flying over the area. "As the HCFR is rolling up, I'm watching it with the drone. I'm air dropping them pins of like bigger fires on that property, and while I was there, I looked up on the horizon and saw an even bigger fire on a property down the street," Larson said. READ: 3 arrested in S. Tampa DUI crash that severed man's leg: Police Larson said the drone can detect hotspots and give a bird's-eye view of the fire as it spreads. "In a fire situation, you can look into those woods and see every spot that is on fire, whereas on the ground, looking through all the bushes, it's really tough to see," Larson said. Dig deeper More agencies are looking to drone technology to help fight fires. The Florida Forest Service said it's in the beginning phase of adding drones to its program. "We have helicopters, and we have fixed wing planes that help us locate the fire, scout the fire and also help us put out the fire," Chlanda said. Chlanda said once their aviation units get on the scene of a fire, it's important to let their crews take over. He said the Florida Forest Service assists local agencies with a lot of these wildfires, because its equipment can help reach difficult areas some of these fires burn in. MORE: Tampa officials tout street resurfacing progress, discuss ways to further expand work "Where you see the fire departments, they're not going to really take a lot of their equipment off the paved road a lot, because they're just not built for that," Chlanda said. "Our dozers are built for going out in the woods, tracking through the forest, through brush and dragging the plow behind it to cut that fire line into the soil." What's next Fire officials don't expect these recent fires to be the last during peak dry season. Chlanda said June is expected to be dryer than usual. "Our pilots are in the air every day, scanning, monitoring for any kind of smoke columns that they see," Chlanda said. "So, I got a feeling that the next week or so is probably going to be busy for all of our resources." Fire officials also warn that as the summer storms pick up, lightning strikes can smolder for a few days before sparking up a brush fire. The Source The information in this story was gathered by FOX 13's Kylie Jones. WATCH FOX 13 NEWS: STAY CONNECTED WITH FOX 13 TAMPA: Download the FOX Local app for your smart TV Download FOX Local mobile app:Apple |Android Download the FOX 13 News app for breaking news alerts, latest headlines Download the SkyTower Radar app Sign up for FOX 13's daily newsletter
Yahoo
26-05-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
Crews contain 400-acre brush fire within Alafia River State Park: HCFR
The Brief Crews have contained a 400-acre brush fire within the Alafia River State Park, according to Hillsborough County Fire Rescue. 22 HCFR units were called to the scene, and they engaged in firefighting efforts for several hours. Hillsborough County officials said that this was the biggest brush fire they've dealt with so far this season in the county. RIVERVIEW, Fla. - A 400-acre brush fire at Alafia River State Park near Thatcher Road has been contained, according to Hillsborough County Fire Rescue. 22 HCFR units were called to the scene, and they engaged in firefighting efforts for several hours. The smoke could be seen and smelled throughout the surrounding area. Residents in the surrounding areas should be aware that smoke or the smell of smoke may be present throughout the night. The Florida Forestry Service helped HCFR to build lines around the fire. Big picture view Hillsborough County officials said that this was the biggest brush fire they've dealt with so far this season in the county. READ: VIDEO: Woman shot, killed by deputy after she shot her daughter: HCSO Crews have demobilized most of their units but will continue monitoring the area for continued safety assurance. HCFR says that no injuries have been reported, and no structures were damaged. CLICK HERE:>>>Follow FOX 13 on YouTube The Source Information for this story was provided by Hillsborough County Fire Rescue. STAY CONNECTED WITH FOX 13 TAMPA: Download the FOX Local app for your smart TV Download FOX Local mobile app: Apple | Android Download the FOX 13 News app for breaking news alerts, latest headlines Download the SkyTower Radar app Sign up for FOX 13's daily newsletter
Yahoo
22-05-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
Horry County authorities rescue watercraft operator stuck in mud near Intracoastal Waterway
HORRY COUNTY, S.C. (WBTW) — Horry County first responders teamed up Wednesday afternoon to rescue a person whose personal watercraft got stuck in a swampy area near the Intracoastal Waterway. Horry County Fire Rescue was dispatched at 4:35 p.m. to the Intracoastal Waterway below the Highway 31 bridge in the Socastee area for a reported water-related rescue incident. 'A personal watercraft had reportedly taken on water and was inoperable, forcing the operator into a swamp where they became stuck in the mud,' HCFR said in a Facebook post. Boat crews from Fire Station 1 in Socastee worked with 911 dispatchers to locate and rescue the operator, HCFR said. They were evaluated for possible injuries but did not to go the hospital. HCFR and the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources worked together to remove the disabled watercraft. * * * Dennis Bright is the Digital Executive Producer at News13. He joined the team in May 2021. Dennis is a West Virginia native and a graduate of Marshall University in Huntington, West Virginia. Follow Dennis on Facebook, X, formerly Twitter, and read more of his work here. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
