Two Alarms at Helping Hands Mission

Listen to radio traffic | See Legeros photos |  Watch aerial video Two alarms were struck on Sunday morning, March 1, 2026, at the Helping Hands Mission at 623 Rock Quarry Road. Dispatched at 6:32 a.m. as a residential structure fire, from initial caller reports. Large header reported as units were en route. Raleigh Fire Department …

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Transcription of Mecklenburg County House Fire + Interior Collapse + Mayday – March 26, 2026

Transcription of audio recording of Mecklenburg County house fire + interior collapse + mayday on February 25, 2026. Listen to audio recording (with truncated silence)   Transcribed using MS Word. There are many errors, sorry. Corrections indicated [in brackets]. Important note! Timestamps are locations in the recording and do -not- correspond to the incident chronology. Recording …

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Early History of the Louisburg Fire Department

This posting presents research notes on the early history of the Louisburg Fire Department in Franklin County, NC. It supplements the research of Al Peoples and Larry Peoples as presented in their 2012 book The Louisburg Fire Department: A History. 1876, Mar 03 – Franklin Courier A Suggestion. — Several times lately we have felt …

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Watauga County Ambulance and Rescue Squad History

This is a blog version of a Facebook posting from December 22, 2025. Research notes on the history of rescue and EMS services in Boone, Blowing Rock, and the surrounding communities of Watauga County.   Watauga County Emergency Rescue Squad, Inc. Organized 1961. Incorporated 1963. Today named Watauga County Rescue Squad Created after John Kirk, a …

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QVC Distribution Center Fire – December 18, 2021

Top left photo courtesy Red Oak Community Fire Department. Top right photo, screen grab from CBS 17.  Shown the middle and bottom row of photos are ladders from Enfield (Halifax), Winterville (Pitt), Youngsville (Franklin), and Knightdale (Wake). The two tankers are Toisnot (top) and Williamston (bottom). Pics via FB postings from their respective FDs, or …

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Two Alarms on Aldie Court

Raleigh Professional Fire Fighters photo Two alarms were struck in Raleigh on Tuesday afternoon, February 9, 2026, on Aldie Court, on the far southeast side of the city. Engine 12 was first-arriving, with heavy fire in the rear of a row of townhomes. Quickly knocked down, the fire was controlled in 28 minutes. Most second-alarm …

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Raleigh Run Numbers – 2025

Run numbers for Raleigh for 2025.   Overall Summary Total incidents – 61,886 Total per-unit runs – 90,166 Historical Comparison   2025 2024 2023 2022 Total Incidents 61,886 58,166 54,746 53,238 Total Per-Unit Runs 90,166 83,697 77,425 73,166 Here’s a PDF document with numbers from 1993 to 2022. It’s due for updating,  Incident Types, Largest to …

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History of Ambulance Service and Rescue Squads in Johnston County

This is a blog version of a Facebook posting.  Research notes on ambulance and rescue squad history in Johnston County.    1950 to 1959 1957, Jun – Johnston County Civil Defense Rescue Squad operating by this time. Based in Smithfield [NO, 6/3/57, GNA 1/31/59] 1958, Sep – Kenly Rescue Squad organized by September 1958. First …

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Burke County School Explosion – March 17, 1987

Looking back at the explosion and fire that destroyed Salem Junior High School in Burke County, NC, in March 1987. Tuesday night, March 17, 1987. Address was 1311 Salem Road, south of Morganton. Three-story brick building with 25,000+ square-feet. It was located on a campus that also included two elementary school facilities, a gymnasium, and …

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Broyhill Furniture Factory Fire – January 14, 1976

Fifty years ago this month, the Broyhill furniture factory in Marion, NC, burned on January 14, 1976. Here are some notes about the incident.  – Wednesday morning. – January 14, 1976. – 11:05 a.m. – Otis L. Broyhill furniture plant on West Henderson Street. [AC, 1/15/76] – Three-story building housed finishing room, where fire stated. …

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