Burlington Fire Station Study
Here’s the fire station location analysis for Burlington, NC, that was recently received by city council. See presentation slides + report. (PDF, 40MB)
Archive of entries posted by Mike Legeros
Relocating Fire Station 15 – Project Schedule
This is an ongoing blog posting about relocating Raleigh Fire Station 15. Contents September 2025 – Project Schedule June 2025 – Call for Artists for Public Art / Conceptual Designs Unveiled July 2024 – Contract Awarded for Design Services January 2024 – Construction Bids Solicited May 2023 – Replacement Project Budgeted March 2022 – New …
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Winston-Salem Armory Explosion – September 26, 1969
View clippings and other documents Introduction On Saturday, September 26, 1969, a methane explosion and flash fire at the National Guard Armory on Silas Creek Parkway in Winston-Salem injured 25 members of the North Carolina National Guard. Seven of the most seriously injured were flown to an Army burn center in Texas. Three later died. …
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Tracking Engine Swaps in Raleigh
It’s the season of engine swaps in Raleigh, with four new Pierce Sabers and four new Pierce Enforcers delivered this summer. The four Sabers were recently placed in service as Engines 21 26 27 28. The older pumpers assigned to each company have been reassigned to other companies. Here’s a tracking chart of these and …
Wilmington Explosion and Fire – August 19, 2025
Screen grabs from Ian Cross footage via WECT. Last updated: August 29, 2025 Introduction On Tuesday, August 19, 2025, in Wilmington, NC, an impaired drive struck and damaged a gas meter and high-pressure line beside a commercial building that was being renovated for veterinary hospital. The vehicle left the scene. The hospital was planning to …
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Apparatus Accidents with Civilian Fatalities
Last updated August 17, 2025. 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 2025 – Durham – Quint 19 / motorcycle, 1 fatality 2023 – Charlotte – Ladder 24 / motorcycle, 1 fatality 2019 – Kannapolis – …
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Wilmington Natural Gas Explosion and Fire – August 5, 1987
Looking back at the natural gas explosion and flash fire in downtown Wilmington August 5, 1987. Timeline On August 5, 1987, Welco Construction and Utilities Company, based in Florence, SC, was excavating in the 4600 block of Market Street. They were installing sanitary sewer lines in preparation for a project to widen Market Street. The …
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Navy Plane Crashes into Building at Coast Guard Air Station Elizabeth City, July 31, 1974
For our Friday history, let’s head over to Pasquotank County and Coast Guard Air Station Elizabeth City on July 31, 1974, when Navy radar plane crashed into a building, killing the pilot and three civilian workers inside. Two others aboard the plane survived with injuries, along with 12 others, including several firefighters. On that Wednesday …
Car Strikes Jet on Ground in Winston-Salem – May 24, 1967
Winston-Salem history hit. Before it crashed after a midair collision over Hendersonville, NC, on July 19, 1967, the first passenger jet operated by Piedmont Airlines had an unusual accident on the ground in May 1967. The airline had recently started jet service from their base at Smith Reynolds Airport. However, their hangar was located on …
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Piedmont Flight 22 and the Midair Collision Over Hendersonville – July 19, 1967
Read retrospective and research notes from 2017 (103M, PDF) See other photos, clippings, and the NTSB report in this Google Drive folder. Introduction Looking back at the deadliest plane crash in North Carolina history, when 82 people were killed on Wednesday, July 19, 1967, after Piedmont Flight 22 collided with a Cessna 310 and both …
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