Tarrytown Mall Fire – August 12, 1967

Bucket trucks working. Let’s look back at the Tarrytown Mall fire in Rocky Mount on August 12, 1967. Was the first enclosed mall in eastern North Carolina, the third enclosed mall in the state, and the 26th enclosed mall in the United States. (The first was Southdale in Edina, MN, a suburb of Minneapolis, and …

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Two Alarms on English Oaks Drive

Listen to radio traffic. Two alarms were struck on English Oaks Drive on Tuesday night, March 11, 2025. Dispatched 10:40 p.m. for 6560 English Oaks Drive. Four-unit, two-story townhouse building with 5,600-ish square-feet. Built 1984, from tax records. First alarm with E4 E16 E15 E18 L4 L16 B5 B4 R16 ISO14. Address corrected to 6535 …

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R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company Building 256 – August 27, 1998

On August 27, 1998, a former tobacco factory complex in downtown Winston-Salem burned in a major fire that brought some 200 firefighters and most of the city fire department to the scene. It was battled for nearly seven hours, destroyed three large buildings, and closed a five-block area to traffic. Here are research notes on …

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Block of Buildings Burns in Downtown Durham, July 1944

Morning history. Let’s take a deep dive into a major fire in the Bull City back in the city. See also comments for additional notes. On Saturday night, July 8, 1944, one of the largest fires in downtown Durham’s history destroyed an entire block of buildings along “Tobacco Row.” The first call was received at …

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North Hills Shooting – January 17, 2025

Here are views and narrative notes from the Friday, January 17, 2025, shooting at North Hills. Sources are radio traffic (link below) and news reports. Dispatched ~10:59 a.m. as active shooter at 4316 The Circle at North Hills Street. Initial dispatch for B4 B5 E16 E6 E9 ISO14 (fire) D3 D6 T1 M21 M44 M65 …

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Two Alarms on The Lakes Drive

See more photos by Legeros Two alarms were struck in north Raleigh on Tuesday, January 7, 2024. Battalion 5 was first-arriving at 6516 The Lakes Drive with fire showing through the roof of a three-story apartment building. She requested a second alarm on arrival. Ladder 15 and Engine 15 were next arriving. Engine 9 with …

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Two Alarms on Polly Street

Listen to radio traffic | See photos from the Raleigh Professional Fire Fighters Association, in this Facebook posting. Two alarms were struck at 3800 Polly Street on December 30, 2024. Dispatched about 10:07 p.m. Two-story apartment building with four units and 3,996 squre-feet. Built 1995, from tax records. Operated by a non-profit as transitional housing …

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Two Alarms on Walden Pond Drive

Mike Legeros photo See more photos by Legeros | Listen to radio traffic Two alarms were struck in north Raleigh on Wednesday night, October 30, 2024. Dispatched 10:56 p.m. for 4750 Walden Pond Drive. Three-story multi-unit residential building with [goes here] square-feet, in complex off Millbrook Road. Built 1974, from tax records. Upgraded to working …

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Charlotte South Park Fire After-Action Report

The Charlotte Fire Department has released an after-action report on the Liberty Row Fire (AKA South Park Fire) on May 18, 2023. The five-alarm commercial structure fire was one of the city’s largest in recent history.  Read the 96-page document (PDF)  Listen to radio traffic from the fire (YouTube)  Five alarms in Charlotte on May …

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Three Alarms on Silver View Lane

Durham Highway Fire Department photo Listen to radio traffic | See photos by Legeros | See aerial video of aftermath Three alarms were struck on Friday afternoon, August 30, 2024, at 7604 Silver View Lane, just off Pinecrest Road, after lightning struck a home and started a fire that spread to the homes on either …

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