Latest news with #StateFireMarshal
Hindustan Times
23-05-2025
- Business
- Hindustan Times
Who is Dan Dyess, the owner of Nottoway Plantation in Louisiana?
The Nottoway plantation house, an essential element of Louisiana's history, went up in flames at 2AM on Thursday (May 15) when staff at the building reported seeing smoke coming up from the south wing. Dan Dyess, the current owner of the building, has expressed his devastation at the event and is uncertain about the possibility of restoration. The State Fire Marshal's Office began its investigation to deduce the cause of the fire on Friday and is still unclear on when a conclusive report could be produced. The official website of this now popular resort and wedding location describes it as 'one of the South's largest historic mansions, located on the famous River Road between Baton Rouge and New Orleans." Chris Daigle, President of the Iberville Parish, expressed his condolences at the loss of one of the city's 'most iconic landmarks' on social media. Daigle described the charred mansion as the 'cornerstone of our tourism economy' and remarked how its absence would be felt deeply. Though famed for its stunning white columns, grand balconies and spectacular three-story Rotunda, the Nottoway plantation house has a troubled history. Originally designed as a 64-room foot property sprawling across 53,000 acres by Henry Howard at the behest of a wealthy sugar planter, John Hampden Randolph, the mansion remained a painful reminder of the worst of enslavement. The mansion was built entirely using bondage labor and served as a profitable sugar plantation employing about 150 slaves in the 1860s. Half a century later, the building was sold off to the Owens family who started using the mansion partially as a luxury resort space. The structure was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1980. Following a series of handovers and buy-outs, the property finally found its way in the hands of Dan Dyess, a Natchitoches area lawyer, in late 2024 when he purchased it from hotelier Joe Jaeger Jr. Along with owning the Nottoway plantation house, Dyess is also the owner of the historic Steel Magnolia House Bed and Breakfast in Natchitoches. 'We're very devastated, we're upset, we're sad,' said Dyess on Friday. 'We put a lot of time, effort and money to developing this property. This was my dream that has now been dashed.' Though efforts are underway to uncover the cause of the fire, Ken Pastorick, the Public Affairs Director for the State Fire Marshal has stated that the process will take time. 'This is a large-scale fire that destroyed a huge piece of history, and it's gonna take time for our investigators to look at this and figure out how it happened and why it happened,' he said. Depending upon the extent of damage revealed by the fire department's report, Dyess is expected to take a decision on whether he will be restoring the property. While Iberville residents have expressed their despair over losing a piece of historic and personal relevance, many have also showed indifference towards the event due to its tangled past.
CBS News
21-05-2025
- CBS News
More than 100,000 pounds of illegal fireworks seized in Los Angeles County
Authorities in Los Angeles County seized more than 100,000 pounds of illegal fireworks on Wednesday. According to CAL FIRE, the Office of the State Fire Marshal conducted the seizure in Commerce, where it responded to reports that a fireworks importer and exporter wasn't following the requirements of a licensee, despite being a licensed vendor. CAL FIRE did not immediately reveal what regulations were broken by the vendor. "As we approach the 4th of July and a typical increase in usage of illegal fireworks, this seizure should be a reminder of our zero tolerance to illegal fireworks in California," said California State Fire Marshal Daniel Berlant. More than $4 million in property loss has been caused by fireworks-related fires since January, CAL FIRE said. Illegal fireworks in California include sky rockets, bottle rockets, roman candles, aerial shells and firecrackers, among others. As of 4 p.m., no additional details were immediately made available.
Yahoo
17-05-2025
- Yahoo
Dixon firefighters battle blaze in garage, side of house
The cause of a fire Friday in Dixon, Ill., remains undetermined, according to the Dixon, Ill., Fire Department. At 6:15 p.m. Friday, Dixon City Fire Department, Dixon Rural FPD and Advance EMS were dispatched to the 1600 block of West 9th Street for a reported garage fire. Crews found a fully involved detached garage and the side of the house on fire, which crews extinguished. The resident was not home at the time of the fire. No responders were injured. All units cleared the scene by 9 p.m. The fire cause was ruled undetermined by an Office of the State Fire Marshal investigator. Assisting were Dixon Police Department, Rock Falls Fire Department, Oregon Fire Department, Polo Fire Department and EMS, Sterling Fire Department and CGH EMS. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
13-05-2025
- Yahoo
Investigation continues into deadly Putnam County fire
The Putnam County Sheriff's Office and the State Fire Marshal are still working to figure out what caused a deadly house fire in East Palatka. The fire on North Maryland Avenue started early Monday morning. Fernando Hernandez Mendez, 31, and Enrique Hernandez Mendez, 33, were found dead inside the home. >>> STREAM ACTION NEWS JAX LIVE <<< [DOWNLOAD: Free Action News Jax app for alerts as news breaks] Related: 'They lost everything': Mobile home fire kills three family members, 3 more hospitalized Angel Enrique Diaz Perez, 4, died later at the hospital. Carolina Gomez, 27, and two children - 18-month-old Jesus Hernandez and 7-year-old Elizabeth Hernandez Gomez - remain hospitalized in critical condition. Investigators said it was 7-year-old Elizabeth who escaped the burning home and ran to a neighbor's house for help. A GoFundMe has been created to help the family. Click here for more information on how you can help. Action News Jax will continue to follow this investigation. Check back here for updates. [SIGN UP: Action News Jax Daily Headlines Newsletter] Click here to download the free Action News Jax news and weather apps, click here to download the Action News Jax Now app for your smart TV and click here to stream Action News Jax live.
Yahoo
12-05-2025
- Yahoo
Georgia Insurance Commissioner's Office investigating Greensboro storage facility fire as arson
The Georgia Insurance and Safety Fire Commissioner's Office is investigating a commercial structure fire in Greensboro and is offering a reward for information that helps them catch those responsible for arson. In a statement from the OCI, officials said the fire happened on May 5 at a building on Town Creek Boulevard in Greensboro. 'Firefighters were called to the scene of a fire involving a storage facility with over 50 storage units,' Insurance commissioner John F. King said in a statement. 'Arson investigators from the State Fire Marshal's office were later requested to serve as the primary investigators of this case. Upon examination of the scene, there was central damage to one unit where the fire was determined to have started.' [DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks] TRENDING STORIES: Family of beloved Buckhead murder victim expected to learn if accused killer fit to stand trial A woman says 'the nicest young man' sat by her on a flight. She didn't realize he was Travis Hunter FAA says another ground stop is possible at Atlanta airport on Monday The OCI said 11 other units were damaged from the heat and the cause of the fire is being classified as incendiary, 'although a suspect has not yet been identified.' Now, OCI is offering up to $10,000 as a reward for information leading to the arrest and prosecution of the individual or individuals 'responsible for arson.' Anyone with information is asked to call the 24/7 Georgia Arson Control Hotline at 1-800-282-5804. [SIGN UP: WSB-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter]
