News & Observer Coverage of Imperial Foods Fire – September 3, 1991

Presenting reporting by the Raleigh News & Observer on September 4, 1991, the day after the deadliest structure fire in the state’s history in Richmond County, at a food processing plant in Hamlet.  “Let me out!” victims scream Fire at Hamlet chicken-processing plant kills 25 49 injured as doors bar safety routes By Julie Powers …

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Wayside Fire Department Ends Operations

This is a blog version of a Facebook posting from January 1, 2025. Effective 0800 on Tuesday, December 31, 2024, Wayside VFD officially ceased operations and Shepherds Fire-Rescue had taken over the responsibility for their response area, reported Iredell Firewire. Below is a bit of background and some history of the department, which was organized …

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Bitter Blood Shooting, Chase, and Vehicle Explosion – Guilford County – June 3, 1985

Photo source: Summerfield Fire District posting on Facebook Bitter Blood Shooting, Chase, and Vehicle Explosion Guilford County, North Carolina — June 3, 1985 Chronological narrative created by ChatGPT and compiled from the Greensboro News & Record, June 4, 1985. Plus annotations by Legeros By June 3, 1985, law-enforcement officers in North Carolina and Kentucky were …

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Emergency Landing of AirTran Airways Flight 913 in Greensboro – August 8, 2000

Looking back at the emergency landing of AirTran Airways Flight 913 on Tuesday, August 8, 2000. About twenty minutes after the DC-9 departed Piedmont Triad International (PTI) Airport at ~3:15 p.m., the pilot reported thick smoke in the cabin. The captain declared an emergency and requested permission to return to the airport. The jetliner was …

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Nine Killed in Car Train Collision in Charlotte, 1931

This is a blog version of a Facebook posting on July 30, 2025. In the wake of last week’s multi-fatality accident on I-485 that killed six people in a three-vehicle collision, let’s look back at the worst car accident in the history of the Charlotte area. Early Saturday morning, December 26, 1931, nine people were …

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Three People Killed in Charlotte Balloon Crash on October 21, 1976

This is a blog version of a Facebook posting from September 24, 2024. Morning history. Here’s the story of another multi-fatality hot-air balloon crash in North Carolina. See prior posting on the subject. At 12:53 p.m. on October 21, 1976, a hot-air balloon crashed in downtown Charlotte. The two pilots and their passenger were killed. …

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Ocracoke Island Fireworks Truck Explosion – July 4, 2009

This is part three of a multi-part series about fireworks incidents and disasters in North Carolina. Read others: Part 1  | Part 2  Part 3 – Ocracoke Island Fireworks Truck Explosion – July 4, 2009 See source materials in this Google Drive folder. On Saturday, July 4, 2009, around 8:00 a.m., a five-person crew from …

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Asheville Fireworks Store Explosion – December 24, 1936

This is part two of a multi-part series about fireworks incidents and disasters in North Carolina. Read others: Part 1 | Part 3 Part 2 – Asheville Fireworks Store Explosion – December 24, 1936 See source materials in this Google Drive folder. Asheville Fireworks Store Explosion December 24, 1936 On Christmas Eve, 1936, around 10:13 p.m., …

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