Latest news with #WestSpringfieldFireDepartment
Yahoo
28-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
West Springfield Fire Department reminds parents of window safety
WEST SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (WWLP) – A child from Southbridge has died after falling out of a window last week. Now, first responders are warning parents of the dangers of an open window, especially when left unattended. Train to perform at The Big E Arena in September 22News spoke with the West Springfield Fire Department. They are urging homeowners with children to install window stops to prevent windows from opening more than four inches. They also say to keep furniture away to prevent access to a window, and remind children that the screen will not protect them from falling through. 'Kids are obviously curious and looking outside or talking with someone outside, getting to the window is sometimes a little more accessible this time of year. So it is something you need to pay attention to just as you would with any other safety or hazard at different times of the year,' said Lieutenant Tony Spear of the West Springfield Fire Department. Experts advise that if you have window guards, make sure they have a quick release mechanism in case of a fire emergency. WWLP-22News, an NBC affiliate, began broadcasting in March 1953 to provide local news, network, syndicated, and local programming to western Massachusetts. Watch the 22News Digital Edition weekdays at 4 p.m. on Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Boston Globe
30-04-2025
- General
- Boston Globe
How a dog, missing for over a month, was discovered in a sewer drain next to Interstate 91
Advertisement Ally, a small female dog, was discovered shivering but uninjured in a sewer drain in West Springfield, according to firefighters. Courtesy of Dennis Foley But Burchell also investigated a manhole on a grassy hill about 10 feet behind highway guardrails, he said — not because it needed to be cut off from drainage, but because its cover appeared to be missing. Then he saw the dog inside. 'It was very luck of the draw,' he said, adding the animal may not have been discovered had he not peered inside the hole. 'A really good thing' Foley said he and Burchell were immediately struck by the fact that the dog was OK despite seeming to have been lost for a while. 'I was shocked, especially considering the dog was in as good condition as she could have been,' Foley, 46, said. The dog, black and white with floppy ears, had some matted fur, but no injuries, Foley said. She was wearing a collar but had no tags. Burchell said the sewer drain was a few feet deep, meaning the 'smallish' pup had no way of escaping on her own. Advertisement Burchell said he was 'not entirely sure' of Ally's breed. Firefighter Justin Burchell, a self-described "huge dog guy," with his own dog, a 1-year-old Golden Retriever named Nora, at West Springfield Fire Department Station 3. Courtesy of Justin Burchell A pile of rocks topped by a large orange traffic cone also blocked the entry to a small tunnel leading from the drain to the sewer main, Burchell said. If the rocks and cone hadn't been there, Ally could have gotten lost and stuck deep within the sewer system, he said. 'I'm a dog person, and I realized this was going to be a really good thing,' Foley said. 'We know this dog' When firefighters reported the dog to animal control, responding officers from Springfield's Thomas J. O'Connor Animal Control and Adoption Center said they recognized Ally, according to Burchell. 'They said, 'We know exactly this dog, because we've been looking for this dog for the past month,'' Burchell said. Within an hour, Ally was reunited with her owners, Burchell said, although he did not get to meet them. Today's feel good moment!! Officer Sanborn received an urgent call from the West Springfield Fire Department regarding... Posted by A Springfield woman who identified herself in a Facebook comment as Ally's owner could not be reached for comment. The O'Connor Animal Control center also did not respond to requests for comment. The shelter said in an April 21 Facebook post that Ally was reported missing 'over a month ago' from the Forest Park area. A person posting to Facebook from an account with the name Mildred Davila, who identified herself as Ally's owner, said the dog had been missing for 34 days. 29springfielddog - State police officers try to comfort Ally, a dog discovered in a sewer drain by West Springfield firefighters on Monday, April 21. (Courtesy Dennis Foley) Courtesy of Dennis Foley Davila said on Facebook she didn't know how Ally got in the drain after going missing. Advertisement 'We are beyond grateful,' the Facebook user said. 'We will never know how she got there but we always know how she was found and the calls that were made to get her back to us her family.' Foley said she may have hid in the hole to avoid nearby cars on the highway or perhaps other animals. 'Thank God everything happened the way it did,' Burchell said. 'This was one of those things that I'm happy I was able to be a part of.' Claire Thornton can be reached at
Yahoo
25-04-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Dog Missing for Over a Month Found Stuck in a Hole Near Raging Car Fire in Massachusetts
Dogs can have nine lives, too, or at least this lucky pup does. According to an April 21 Facebook post from the West Springfield Fire Department in Massachusetts, firefighters responding to a car fire discovered a surprise near the scene of the blaze. "This afternoon, WSFD and Chicopee FD responded to a vehicle fire on Interstate 91. One vehicle was fully involved, and the fire ruptured the gas tank, which spilled gasoline onto the roadway and was heading towards storm drains," the fire department shared on social media. "The driver was removed from the vehicle, and the fire was extinguished. The occupant was transported to a local hospital with burns and smoke inhalation. They are expected to survive, and the injuries are considered to be non-life-threatening," WSFD added about the incident. According to the firefighters, once the fire was out, "crews began to divert the fuel from entering the drains." During this process, the rescuers discovered a dog "not involved in the initial incident" in a storm drain. The fire department shared several photos of the canine in its post. In one, the black-and-white dog appears stuck in the giant hole that makes up the storm drain. Related: Wiener Dog Lost on Rugged Island for 529 Days Is Safe After 1,000 Hours of Searching, Rescue Says The crew collected the dog and brought her to Thomas J. O'Connor Animal Control and Adoption Center in Springfield for a veterinary exam and microchip scan. The kind deed unearthed even more good news. The animal shelter discovered that the storm drain dog was a beloved pet named Ally, who had been missing from home for over a month. "We don't know how she ended up in there or how long she'd been in there. I don't think there had been a single sighting yet, until that moment when the car caught on fire," Renee Robichaud, a supervisor at Thomas J. O'Connor Animal Control, told Western Mass News. Never miss a story — sign up for to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. Lieutenant Dennis Foley of the West Springfield Fire Department agreed with Robichaud that it was incredibly fortunate that firefighters found Ally stuck in the drain. "I think winning the lottery would be better odds than us finding a dog that we weren't looking for," he told the outlet. Related: Dog Owner Orders Pet's 'Last Meal' and Is Shocked By Restaurant's Response Foley noted that firefighter Justin Burchell was the one who heard Ally's yelps for help and followed them until he found the canine. Once Thomas J. O'Connor Animal Control discovered Ally's identity, the staff immediately contacted the dog's family to organize a reunion. The dog is now back with her family and doing well after 34 days away from home. Read the original article on People
Yahoo
22-04-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Dog lost for a month saved from being stuck inside Western Mass. storm drain
A month after going missing, a dog was rescued from a Western Massachusetts storm drain where she had been trapped and unable to get free. The West Springfield Fire Department had been helping extinguish a car fire on Interstate 91 South Monday. The car was fully involved in flames. The fire also ruptured the gas tank, which spilled gasoline onto the roadway and was heading towards storm drains. The driver was taken to the hospital with burns and smoke inhalation. They are expected to survive. Once the car fire was extinguished, the firefighters began checking the nearby drains for any contaminants due to the spilled gasoline. However, firefighters discovered the dog instead. The dog, named Ally, was reported missing to Thomas J. O'Connor Animal Control and Adoption Center (TJO) officers over a month ago from the Forest Park area. 'How she managed to get inside of this storm drain located within close proximity to the highway is still unknown,' TJO wrote on Facebook. 'Had it not been for the quick thinking of the Mass State Police Officers along with the West Springfield Fire Department, who knows if Ally would have made it out of that drain alive.' Ally is safe and back in the hands of her very happy owners, TJO wrote, also sharing photos from them reuniting. Her owners are taking her to the vet to 'verify there are no underlying concerns from her month long ordeal.' Plus, TJO said, she'll be getting a bath and grooming. Thinking of adopting a dog? Shelters all across Mass. are waiving adoption fees After their mom was killed in murder-suicide, 2 dogs find forever home in Mass. Cape Cod marine rescue team tries to free right whale from deadly entanglement More than 40 rabbits at the MSPCA need new homes ahead of Easter Sunday
Yahoo
11-03-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
Brush fire put out on Riverdale Street in West Springfield
WEST SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (WWLP) – Fire crews worked to put out a large brush fire on Riverdale Street in West Springfield on Tuesday. West Springfield Fire Department Lieutenant Tony Spear said that crews received reports of a brush fire at 1290 Riverdale Street Tuesday afternoon. The fire was located in the area of Ashley Cemetery and Hooters. Elevated fire risk expected due to strong winds, low humidity The brush fire was reportedly spreading rapidly, but crews worked to contain the blaze to prevent damage to the surrounding area. Spear said that the fire has since been put out. No injuries have been reported. Brush fire danger is high Tuesday with temperatures in the low to mid 60s and windy with occasional gusts over 25 mph. The cause of the fire is currently under investigation. 22News will provide updates as more information becomes available. WWLP-22News, an NBC affiliate, began broadcasting in March 1953 to provide local news, network, syndicated, and local programming to western Massachusetts. Watch the 22News Digital Edition weekdays at 4 p.m. on Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
