Waynesville Fire Chief Lawrence Kerley Killed in Explosion – July 14, 1942

This is a blog version of a Facebook posting from August 14, 2020. Tale of a tragedy. Early in the morning of Tuesday, July 14, 1942, a pair of explosion at a bulk fuel storage facility in Waynesville, NC, killed six people, and also fatally injured Fire Chief Lawrence Kerley. Below are a pair of …

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Raleigh Firefighter Loses Leg, 1958

This is an expanded version of a blog archives posting (PDF) from September 4, 2012. The history of the Raleigh Fire Department includes instances of members who were permanently disabled as a result of injuries on duty. Here’s one of those stories.   RFD yearbook portrait, 1984 On February 18, 1958, Raleigh firefighter Claude W. Johnson …

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Two Alarms on Prince George Lane

See photos by Mike Legeros | Listen to radio traffic Two alarms (with a third for mayday, then cancelled) were struck in Raleigh on Sunday morning, February 5, 2023. Was the fourth working fire in eight hours. Dispatched 6:12 a.m. for Old Lead Mine Road and Mere Oak Drive. Reported house fire, plus report of …

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Two Alarms on Walden Pond Drive

See photos by Mike Legeros | Listen to radio traffic Mike Legeros photos Two alarms were struck overnight in north Raleigh on Walden Pond Drive. It was the third of four working fires in the city in eight hours, between Saturday night, February 4, and Sunday morning, February 5, and the first of two extra-alarm …

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Apparatus Accidents with Civilian Fatalities

This is an updated blog version of a Facebook posting from 2009. Research notes on civilian fatalities in fire apparatus accidents in North Carolina.    Contents 2023 – Charlotte 2019 – Kannapolis 2011 – Kernersville 2005 – Statesville 1997 – Charlotte 1985 – Greensboro 1982 – Charlotte 1980 – Steele Creek (Mecklenburg) 1975 – Durham …

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Photographing Fire Apparatus – FireNews Feature From 2008

In 2008, fire buff and photographer Jeff Harkey posted a series of articles about fire apparatus photography on his site FireNews.net. The articles included contributions from photographers Lee Wilson and Mike Legeros. The site and the articles have been preserved by the Internet Archive. Here’s a compilation of the articles in PDF format, created in January …

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New Zebulon Fire Station

The town of Zebulon is planning a replacement fire station. The first community meeting was held this week, to share information and receive feedback. There’s also a web page with information including a preliminary site plan, shown below. Some details. The designer is ADW Architects. The location is beside the town hall. Wake County EMS …

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Wake County Fire Department Updates – January 2023

Here’s a new “armchair update” on what’s news and new at the various fire departments around Wake County. Thanks to the various fire chiefs that shared their information.  Apex New Station 6 nearing completion, 1206 Wimberly Road. Expected to open in late March or early April. See drawings in this blog post.  New E-One Typhoon …

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Two Alarms on Logger Court

See more photos by Mike Legeros. Two alarms were struck on Friday night, January 21, 2023, at 1100 Logger Court in north Raleigh. Two-story, garden-style, office condo building with 3,600 square-feet, if calculating correctly. Built 1981, say tax records. Dispatched 10:02 p.m. as a multiple residential structure fire at the intersection of Falls of Neuse …

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