Latest news with #WDCW
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Health
- Yahoo
Cleanup underway after 2,000 gallons of diesel fuel leaks into Baltimore's harbor
BALTIMORE (WDCW) — Emergency crews in Baltimore are working to clean up roughly 2,000 gallons of diesel fuel that leaked into the harbor on Wednesday. Maryland officials said the spill started around 11 a.m. local time, when fuel began leaking from the Johns Hopkins Hospital's facility in East Baltimore. Prosecutors: 2 arrested with arsenal and Nazi paraphernalia after robbery were ex-military Nearly two hours later, the Baltimore City Fire Department was dispatched to a marina in Harbor East. While investigating the spill, officials learned that the fuel began leaking into the marina from the facility, which was about 1.3 miles away. As of Wednesday afternoon, the spill was contained in the marina at the South Central Avenue Bridge. The Maryland Department of the Environment said the water affected by the spill had been tinged red because of the dye in the oil. Officials added that the leak would not impact drinking water in the area. Officials said the U.S. Coast Guard and a private contractor are working to clear the oil from the water by using oil absorbent materials and skimmers that will feed into a 4,000-gallon pump truck. Pop singer reveals breast cancer diagnosis: 'Sucks' During a press conference Thursday morning, officials said several geese were also removed from the water and taken to a wildlife rehab center. 'This has been a robust and truly collective effort. We have now seen 10 different city and state agencies that have been deployed,' said Maryland Governor Wes Moore. Local leaders also said traffic would likely be disrupted amid the cleanup efforts. 'We are going to do everything in our power to restore the area as quickly as possible without compromising public safety,' said Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott. It's unclear if any fines or penalties will be issued as a result of the spill. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
14-05-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
Flash flooding forces evacuation of elementary school, fire station in western Maryland
ALLEGANY COUNTY, Md. (WDCW) — Flooding in rural western Maryland forced the evacuation of an elementary school Tuesday afternoon as water began to breach the second floor, according to local officials. Homes and businesses in downtown Westernport were also inundated with floodwaters after hours of heavy rain. The heavy rain left the Westernport fire station damaged and drenched in pools of water. Officials reassured the public that students and staff were safe as concerned parents and other community members posted on social media wondering how long the emergency situation would last at Westernport Elementary School. Allegany County spokesperson Kati Kenney said responders used rescue boats to safely evacuate the school. About 150 students and 50 adults were evacuated during 15 boat trips. Kenney said additional evacuations were underway in nearby areas, with reports of people trapped in cars and houses, but no injuries had been reported as of late Tuesday afternoon. She said emergency crews from surrounding counties were helping with the response in the small community near the West Virginia line. Videos shared with Nexstar's WDCW showed cars submerged in water and homes flooded. Another elementary school was also evacuated, and students at a middle school were sheltering in place, the Allegany County Department of Emergency Services said Tuesday evening. Officials said three emergency shelters had been opened across the county. Allegany County Public Schools (ACPS) said students were not able to be taken home on Tuesday and had to spend the night at Mountain Ridge High School. School officials said all students were reunited with their loved ones Wednesday morning. Aaron Stallings rushed to Westernport Elementary to pick up his little sister earlier Tuesday afternoon, but he soon realized his car wouldn't make it. Stallings said he hopped a fence and made his way on foot through the shin-deep water. 'I knew my car was not going to get through, so I had to find an alternate route,' he said. Governor Moore urges Marylanders to stay vigilant as rain causes severe flooding Stallings said children were being kept on the second and third floors when he made his way inside. Minutes after he located his sister with the help of the principal, the water level on the first floor had already risen again to his knees and was rushing under the school doors. Once he waded back outside with his sister, Stallings turned around to capture video of the scene, where parked cars and a dumpster were floating through the school's parking lot. Alley Wade also left work early when she heard about flooding downtown. She and her husband hoped to pick up their two sons, ages 8 and 10, but they couldn't get to the school because roads were already closed. Instead, they spent most of the afternoon standing around in the rain, anxiously watching the floodwaters rise. 'It was stressful because I felt so helpless,' Wade said. The family was finally reunited after the students had been evacuated. Wade said there were a lot of crying kids, but thankfully, everyone was safe. Roads throughout the area were closed due to flooding, including major arteries, according to the Allegany County Sheriff's Office. Westernport Mayor Judy Hamilton said the town has been prone to severe flooding in the past, but they weren't expecting it today. 'It just seemed to happen all at once,' she said. 'My heart is breaking.' She said the evacuated students were taken to higher ground and sheltered in a church building, where they would be kept safe by teachers and staff until their parents could pick them up. 12-year-old boy swept away in Albemarle floodwaters believed to have been found dead With a population under 2,000 people, Westernport is located in the far corner of western Maryland. Its downtown took shape in a valley where Georges Creek flows into the North Branch Potomac River. The National Weather Service reported widespread flash flooding in the area Tuesday afternoon. 'We are closely monitoring the flood conditions that are present across Western Maryland due to heavy rainfall, especially in Allegany County,' Gov. Wes Moore said in a social media post, adding that the state and local authorities were actively responding to the inundation. Hamilton said the last time Westernport suffered from devastating floods was in 1996. 'But we're strong and we always build back,' she said. In West Virginia, Gov. Patrick Morrisey declared a state of emergency Tuesday night in Mineral County, along the Maryland border, due to severe storms and heavy rains that resulted in flash flooding. The declaration allows the state to mobilize personnel and resources to the area. The Allegany County Sheriff's Office will be actively monitoring all evacuated areas throughout the night. Our deputies are committed to protecting unoccupied residences and ensuring the safety and security of our communities during this critical time.'The Associated Press contributed to this report. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
31-03-2025
- Yahoo
United aware of reports kite struck plane landing at Reagan National
ARLINGTON, Va. (WDCW) — A kite reportedly made contact with a United Airlines flight Saturday as the plane was approaching Reagan National Airport (DCA), the airline said. In a statement to Nexstar's WDCW, United Airlines said it is aware of reports that a kite struck United Flight 654, which departed from Houston for Washington, D.C. However, the airline added that 'the aircraft landed safely, customers deplaned normally and upon inspection, there was no damage to the aircraft.' The Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority (MWAA), whose police department patrols Reagan National (DCA) and Dulles International airports, said that its officers had responded to reports of kite-flying that day at Gravelly Point. FAA reports near-miss at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport involving Delta plane, Air Force Talon Gravelly Point, a park across the Potomac River from Washington, D.C., is just a few hundred feet away from the north end of DCA's runway. People are not allowed to fly kites there because of 'the danger of low-flying aircraft,' according to the MWAA. Upon responding to the park, the airport's authority said officers briefly confiscated a kite flying in the restricted air space. 'That kite was returned to its owner shortly later and no charges were filed,' said Emily McGee, a spokesperson for the MWAA. Officers also warned people about flying kites in the area. Delta Air Lines drops new set of pilot trading cards: How to get yours Across the Potomac on the National Mall, National Cherry Blossom Festival organizers held the annual Blossom Kite Festival on Saturday to celebrate cherry blossom season. According to organizers, the kite festival was unrelated to the kite-flying activity at Gravelly Point. The reported incident comes just two months after an American Airlines plane and a U.S. Army Black Hawk helicopter collided above the Potomac River near DCA, killing 67 people. On Friday, a Delta Air Lines Flight preparing to leave Ronald Reagan and an incoming military jet received instructions to divert and prevent a possible collision, officials said. The Associated Press contributed to this report. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.


The Hill
31-03-2025
- The Hill
United aware of reports kite struck plane landing at Reagan National
ARLINGTON, Va. (WDCW) — A kite reportedly made contact with a United Airlines flight Saturday as the plane was approaching Reagan National Airport (DCA), the airline said. In a statement to Nexstar's WDCW, United Airlines said it is aware of reports that a kite struck United Flight 654, which departed from Houston for Washington, D.C. However, the airline added that 'the aircraft landed safely, customers deplaned normally and upon inspection, there was no damage to the aircraft.' The Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority (MWAA), whose police department patrols Reagan National (DCA) and Dulles International airports, said that its officers had responded to reports of kite-flying that day at Gravelly Point. FAA reports near-miss at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport involving Delta plane, Air Force Talon Gravelly Point, a park across the Potomac River from Washington, D.C., is just a few hundred feet away from the north end of DCA's runway. People are not allowed to fly kites there because of 'the danger of low-flying aircraft,' according to the MWAA. Upon responding to the park, the airport's authority said officers briefly confiscated a kite flying in the restricted air space. 'That kite was returned to its owner shortly later and no charges were filed,' said Emily McGee, a spokesperson for the MWAA. Officers also warned people about flying kites in the area. Across the Potomac on the National Mall, National Cherry Blossom Festival organizers held the annual Blossom Kite Festival on Saturday to celebrate cherry blossom season. According to organizers, the kite festival was unrelated to the kite-flying activity at Gravelly Point. The reported incident comes just two months after an American Airlines plane and a U.S. Army Black Hawk helicopter collided above the Potomac River near DCA, killing 67 people. On Friday, a Delta Air Lines Flight preparing to leave Ronald Reagan and an incoming military jet received instructions to divert and prevent a possible collision, officials said.
Yahoo
30-03-2025
- Yahoo
Kite reportedly made contact with United flight near Reagan National Airport: airline
ARLINGTON, Va. (WDCW) — A kite reportedly made contact with a United Airlines flight Saturday as the plane was approaching Reagan National Airport (DCA), the airline said. In a statement to Nexstar's WDCW, United Airlines said it is aware of reports that a kite struck United Flight 654, which departed from Houston for Washington, D.C. However, the airline added that 'the aircraft landed safely, customers deplaned normally and upon inspection, there was no damage to the aircraft.' The Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority (MWAA), whose police department patrols Reagan National (DCA) and Dulles International airports, said that its officers had responded to reports of kite-flying that day at Gravelly Point. FAA reports near-miss at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport involving Delta plane, Air Force Talon Gravelly Point, a park across the Potomac River from Washington, D.C., is just a few hundred feet away from the north end of DCA's runway. People are not allowed to fly kites there because of 'the danger of low-flying aircraft,' according to the MWAA. Upon responding to the park, the airport's authority said officers briefly confiscated a kite flying in the restricted air space. 'That kite was returned to its owner shortly later and no charges were filed,' said Emily McGee, a spokesperson for the MWAA. Officers also warned people about flying kites in the area. Delta Air Lines drops new set of pilot trading cards: How to get yours Across the Potomac on the National Mall, National Cherry Blossom Festival organizers held the annual Blossom Kite Festival on Saturday to celebrate cherry blossom season. According to organizers, the kite festival was unrelated to the kite-flying activity at Gravelly Point. The reported incident comes just two months after an American Airlines plane and a U.S. Army Black Hawk helicopter collided above the Potomac River near DCA, killing 67 people. On Friday, a Delta Air Lines Flight preparing to leave Ronald Reagan and an incoming military jet received instructions to divert and prevent a possible collision, officials said. The Associated Press contributed to this report. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.